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THE LION'S ROAR
MAY 2019
After a book unit has been launched with a shared classroom experience, the teacher introduces the new comprehension focus and visual tool by using a selected read-aloud book and modeling the thinking process for its completion. Students then engage in guided practice of the new visual tool by reading a short story or article and working together to complete the tool. Only after these preliminary steps are taken is a student ready to begin reading the new book and completing the visual tool on his/her own.
Typically there are two or three different books being read in each classroom per book unit. Having several books per unit allows the teacher to level the instruction to meet the individual needs of the students in the classroom. In order to ensure each student is comprehending the material and making adequate progress while applying the visual tool, all students participate in a small group for nearly 20 minutes daily. This is an opportunity for teachers to facilitate discussions about the contents of the reading passage, to clarify misunderstandings, and to check for progress.
Participation in small groups is critical to a student’s success in the comprehension process. First, small groups increase student accountability. Unlike whole class instruction, there is nowhere to hide within a small group! Along with greater involvement in discussions comes greater processing, which leads to better comprehension. Having greater accountability and higher expectations promotes higher achievement.
Next, small groups allow the teachers to engage in formative assessments and individualized instruction. Formative assessments are always a component of effective teaching; these occur when teachers monitor student progress throughout the learning process and tailor their instruction to the needs of the student. Through these ongoing checks, a teacher can quickly identify an area of strength or weakness and plan future instruction accordingly. Small groups also can allow for flexibility in meeting instructional needs and can be further subdivided to address specific areas for particular students.
Lastly, small groups increase student participation. By scaffolding instruction (like building layers), teachers move students from explicit instruction and modeling, to guided and supported practice, and ultimately to independent application. This type of instruction allows students to become more mentally active readers, increase in their motivation for reading, and internalize comprehension processes.
(Block & Pressley, 2002; Tracey & Morrow, 2002; Washburn, 2006)
FOUNDATIONS & FRAMEWORKS
What is Your Calling as a Parent?
In this life-giving book, Paul Tripp offers parents much more than a to-do list. Instead, he presents us with a big-picture view of God's plan for us as parents. Outlining fourteen foundational principles centered on the gospel, he shows that we need more than the latest parenting strategy or list of techniques. Rather, we need the rescuing grace of God--grace that has the power to shape how we view everything we do as parents.
Freed from the burden of trying to manufacture life-change in our children's hearts, we can embrace a grand perspective of parenting overflowing with vision, purpose, and joy.