Sometimes things happen in our classroom that simply must be shared with others. That is often true with good reads, rich discussions, authentic assessment and instruction…as well as the little unexpected things that come up when working with children! We wanted to create this page especially for you - to share some of the great learning that has taken place (even when it wasn’t pretty) that has made us sit up and take notice! Ahh Haa...

A new teacher recently came to us and confessed sheepishly that she had only just introduced Listen to Reading as a part of her Daily 5 routine. She explained that she just didn’t feel like the children were ready to dive into that option and that she really wanted to take her time in building expectations and stamina rather than jumping in with both feet too quickly!

We were ecstatic to hear her honest reflection and keen insight to the needs of her students and program. Sometimes, even the most seasoned teachers, move forward with Daily 5 before the basic systems are in place. If you are finding that Daily 5 is getting a little “bumpy,” take some time to review the expectations. Perhaps, temporarily cut down the time for each Daily until things are running smoothly again. Time taken now, will be time saved in the future! Kuddos to this young teacher for her wise thinking!

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I LOVE the Daily 5!  It is a wonderfully practical and effective way to engage my students in meaningful literacy activities while giving me a chance to work with small groups and individuals.  It  has transformed the way  I teach reading!

— Breanne Bean