Katrina Hankins Blog Post #3-- Routman Ch 10 Examine Guided Reading

I reread this chapter because many questions have arisen lately about guided reading at our school.  Routman makes a few points clear from the very beginning.  First, guided reading is just another way to support our readers and should not overtake our reading block. As part of the optimal learning model, guided reading can simply be a follow up on the read aloud or the shared reading.  This reminds me of the mini-lesson in reading workshop when we share a strategy or focus lesson and then release the students to their reading in order to apply it.  Pulling small groups in at that time would allow a teacher to listen in and monitor the students understanding and ability regarding the task at hand instead of just releasing them and assuming that they got it.  Taking your struggling readers in on a daily basis is definitely recommended but this does not have to be according to their reading level.  Instead Routman encourages heterogenous groupings so that student do not get stuck in the same group all year long.  I completely agree with her on this which is why I’m a huge fan of book clubs especially in the intermediate grades.  Forming groups based on interests or differentiated needs that have come to light through formative assessments allows students the flexibility and the opportunity to participate with confidence while getting appropriate support and keeps engagement high.  

In addition, guided reading instruction should be implemented with flexibility.  As stated previously, small groups should be based on students’ needs not levels.  I do love that she encouraged teachers to release the students from the small group as they were able to comprehend or complete the task successfully.  No more strapping them to the kidney table for their allotted time!  The wonderful thing is even though they are released, they are not done.  She sends them off to reread the text or go forward in the text and continue to problem solve.  Her lingering support using the whiteboards and the targeted task provides the guidance that they need as they work on their own.  That work is the student’s priority, who then can read independently or work on a literacy project afterwards.  That is definitely my idea of an effective, supportive reading block.  No stations, or centers, or worksheets, or rotation madness, just reading and writing according to the students’ needs and interests.

Finally, I did appreciate that Routman encouraged some written response to go along with guided reading.  I do agree that too much writing can take the joy out of reading.  However, some writing to record thoughts and responses to the text helps not just in accountability but in discussions.  I prefer my students to be able to discuss what they’ve read and writing their thoughts helps them to do that.

Most of all, I think that it is important to remember that guided reading gives students support as the teacher “encourages problem solving, observe what students do, and teach what’s needed.”  All of this begins with truly knowing your students and monitoring their progress.  The purpose is as always, to help them become independent readers whether they are in the guided group or working on their own.  Routman has high expectations for students during this part of literacy instruction as just one component of the optimal learning progression that is needed in all classrooms.