Today we officially kick off our summer book study with the book Making The Most Of Small Groups by Debbie Diller! So let’s jump right in!
Here are some of my takeaways from Chapter 1:
Takeaway 1: Daily Schedule!
Here is my daily schedule from last school year:
In our class we have about 120 minutes or 2 hours for reading. That includes whole group and small group lessons. About 30-45 minutes is whole group (including singing and dancing, sight words, phonics, phonemic awareness and shared reading, and interactive read alouds) and over an hour for small groups. This is done on purpose because I want most of my time spent in small groups and one on one! I have worked very hard to make our whole group time efficient to cut down that time so we get more of that small group time!
Takeaway 2: Planning
This might be the most powerful quote for me:
“considering kids and curriculum…I look at my state’s content standards AND the kids’ needs based on assessments.”
We have a professional and ethical responsibility to make learning accessible to every child in our classroom. I know there is a lot of debate and concern about developmentally appropriate teaching (and rightly so!). With that being said, teacher’s don’t have the power to change those requirements/mandates/standards. We have a voice and we can advocate for change and advocate (loudly) for our students. However, our job is to make those standards/curriculum/mandates/benchmarks accessible to every child in our classroom every day. We MUST meet each child where they are and meet their needs.
Takeaway 3: Planning Small Groups Lessons
I was very reassured that Debbie Diller says she plans her small group lessons daily. AHA! This is something that has been a challenge for me this year because we are required to write and upload our guided reading plans each Monday. I argued that I can plan for guided reading in a general way by choosing a book based on each group and planning a very loose framework for that group. BUT so much of guided reading happens “on the fly” and depends on each child in that group and how they respond to the book! So now I feel better that I was planning each day based on what my students need and how they responded to the books!
What will I be implementing from Chapter 1:
One AHA moment I had was setting a specific purpose for reading!!! This is not something I do in my small groups but it’s something I will be doing from now on!
I will also make a more concerted effort to ask students what they read after listening to them for a bit. Usually I will listen to them read, make some notes and move on. I like building in a comprehension check after listening to them read. This will give me more valuable information on their reading and comprehension.
I also like the idea of pointing out what they did as good readers! I give general feedback when my groups are finished such as “great reading!” or “ya’ll did so good today” and sometimes I might say to a certain student something like “great job using your sounds!” but I want this specific feedback to be more common and systematic!
Some final thoughts:
There is no right or wrong way to do small group instruction (pg. 10). We all find what works for us and that’s ok!!! We don’t have to follow someone else’s plan or routine. Are there things that aren’t effective? Of course. We are professionals and we know when something isn’t working and we fix it! So you do you boo! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If ain’t working, fix it!
And finally, my favorite line of chapter1:
“Pay attention to your students, be open and have fun!”
That should be the motto and philosophy of every classroom and every teacher. Listen to your students and meet their needs. Don’t teach the curriculum, teach the kids. AND HAVE FUN!
Now it’s your turn! Let’s start a conversation in the comments section by answering these questions:
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Share your daily schedule!
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How much time do you have for reading each day?
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Do you use “jump starts” as described on page 7?
Please answer these questions and share your other thoughts and ideas in the comments!
Also join me LIVE on Facebook 8:00 ET/7:00 CT for a LIVE conversation about chapter 1!
Also make sure to head over to Kindergarten Chaos to read Abigail’s thoughts on chapter 1!
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20 comments
Love the idea of setting a purpose for reading! I’m definitely going to make it a point to include that in my small groups. I also agree about planning small group lessons daily, it is such a fluid process that it is hard to know beforehand what those kiddos need that day. We have an 80 minute block for guided reading then a separate 45 minute block for language arts/phonics starting next year. I’m excited to have that guided reading block because before I had to squeeze language arts, phonics, and guided reading into an 80 minute block. Not very easy to do! We also have an 80 minute guided math block this year too.
In my daily morning schedule, I have 2 hours for reading instruction and 30 min for writers workshop. I haven’t been doing much of small group as I have a tiny class (7 students- small rural K-8 school – 101 students in whole school) – I guess you could say I do small group for everything with a class that small…I haven’t used jump starts as Debbie Diller describes them but I plan to next year. We have a basal series that is old and needs a lot of supplements to align to common core. We don’t have any district wide materials for guided reading – we use our own materials or the readers with the basal. I have started using some materials off of TPT that are leveled. I struggle with how to assess their level and when to move them up to the next level.
I don’t have my schedule yet, it’s given to us by admin. But we were told that we should try to plan 120-150 minutes of reading each day. It may not be uninterrupted time due to specials (PE, art, music, library).
This is only my 2nd year in Kinder. I was thrown into centers/small groups without much instruction last year. My goal is to have functional groups this year. I’m hoping that this book study will help me get on the right path.
My daily schedule is 2 hours of ELA (English Language Arts/Reading) Lunch Recess 1 hour of math 45 minutes of related arts 30 minutes of RTI2 intervention groups and 30-ish minutes of science and social studies. We try very hard to make sure science and social studies skills are integrated into the reading block because 30 minutes in in NO way a sufficient amount of time to teach/learn all the skills we need in those areas.
I like using various kinds of “jump start” activities in my small group. It might be a quick game, cold reads, fluency checks for various skills etc. That quick 3-5 minutes either with an individual student or with the entire small group sets the tone for what we are doing. This is our reading group and we will be working on xyz. I think it provides a solid transition and helps to set the expectations for what will come next.
My Daily Kindergarten Schedule:
Arrival/Breakfast: 7:30 – 8:00
Calendar/Morning Message: 8:00 – 8:10
Small group reading: 8:10 – 9:10
Whole group reading: 9:15 – 9:45
Writing: 9:45 -10:00
Lunch: 10:00 – 10:30
Recess: 10:35 – 11:05
Math: 11:10-12:05
Specials: 12:05 – 12:40
Math: 12:45 – 1:00
Science (Tues, Wed, Thurs)/SS(Fri)/Health(Mon) (Integrated): 1:00 – 1:45
Packup/Dismissal: 1:45 – 1:55
We have 120 minutes for reading.
I really had a big moment when she mentioned she does one running record per group and then has a whole class set by the end of the week. It was giving me anxiety trying to complete them all in a short time frame for an entire group. So I will definitely be changing that next year!
Also, I love the idea of planning for small groups the day before. This really keeps things relevant and appropriate for the needs of the students. I try to remember to zero in on certain things the next day but I always forget because I had completed my plans a week in advance so it just flies out of my brain before the next day comes. I will definitely keep a week long plan but also keep an additional goal that I will write on a daily basis.
She also said something that stuck with me that was so simple but so powerful, “Pay attention to your students, be open, and have fun!”. I went to the blog and it made me so happy to see you picked up on that too! I liked how she started the book off so far 🙂 I will be tuning it at 8:00pm for the live video 🙂
Hey Mr. Greg!
I’m so excited to be joining you as we read this important book about small group instruction. I also really liked how Debbie reiterated the need for focused instruction during small group. I think it is very easy to jump right in to the reading aspect without first discussing our goals and focus with the students. I am a new Kindergarten teacher, starting this Fall. I haven’t received my schedule yet, so I am not sure what that will look like. However, thank you for sharing your schedule and thoughts about the book. I really loved that Debbie mentioned that we should use small groups to re-teach those skills and strategies that we modeled during whole group instruction. I thought it was really helpful that she included templates for planning instruction during small group, to guide what occurs before, during, and after reading. So far, I feel like this book was a worthwhile investment, and I cannot wait to read the next chapter!
Best Wishes,
Lauren Fuller
My schedule is going to be changing dramatically next year because I am going from a full day Kinder position to teaching the English portion of our schools Spanish Immersion class. I will essentially be teaching half day kindergarten so I don’t really know what my schedule will look like or how to work small group.
We are starting a 90 minute uninterrupted reading block next year which will be nice. I will more than likely do 30 minutes of whole group instruction and 60 of small group or 45 minutes of whole group and 45 of small group… which may work out better now that I think about it.
I haven’t used the “jump starts” but I think that I will next year. It sounds like a great idea and a way to hear the kiddos read and really know how they are doing. I think it’s an awesome idea!!
Amy Appleton from Chicago. I teach half day kindergarten so my day starts at 12:30 with recess. !2:40-1 PM- circle time; 1-1:50- centers (during this time, the children read in the library when they are done with their work. This is how I get that reading time in.); 1:50-2:05- story time or math circle (if we are not reading a book, we are playing a game); 2:10-2:50- snack and recess; 2:50- 3:25- play time (this is when my assistant and I pull children over to do individual and small group work).
I have to squeeze in reading wherever I can and next year they are introducing a new reading program that the administration wants us to strictly follow so I am looking for ideas of how to use small groups for this. I was a bit overwhelm by all the ideas in the first chapter. Her positive attitude is great.
Thank you!
We have 90 minutes for reading. My schedule this past year was:
8:55-9:00: Morning Arrival and Morning Work
9:00-9:15: Morning Meeting
9:15-10:55: Reading
10:55-11:00: Line up and go to cafeteria
11:00-11:30: lunch
11:30-12:00: recess
12:00-12:15: restroom/drinks/ preview afternoon
12:20-12:55: specials
12:55-2:30: Math
2:30-2:55: Intervention
2:55-3:33: Phonics, read a loud, pack to go home
I don’t really use jump starts but I plan to start using them next year.
Hi Mr. Greg! Thank you for organizing this book study. I teach in Wisconsin. We have all day every day kindergarten. I teach in a SAGE school so my class size will never exceed 18 students without having added support in the classroom.
My Schedule:
8:00-8:15 Attendance and Greeting
8:15-8:45 Intervention (We call it W.I.N. time What I Need)
8:45-9:45 Reading Whole Group/Small Group
9:45-10:00 Snack
10:00-10:30 Calendar This time has a lot of math and reading components built into it. We do our calendar on the SMARTboard and add different reading and math skills as the year progresses.
10:30-11:30 Specials
11:30-11:55 Free Time
12:05-12:45 Lunch and Recess
12:55-1:30 Rest Time
1:30-2:30 Math
2:35-2:55 Recess
3:00 Dismissal
(Transition times are embedded in the schedule) Free Time and Rest Time. I can hear the GASPS as I type, however, it is something we still believe in and advocate for on behalf of our littlest learners. Social Studies and Science are integrated into activities in reading and math.
We devote app. 100 minutes a day to reading. I am curious to know if other schools use a specific handwriting program in their kindergarten classrooms. Out school does not have a specific/consistent program and have mercy…it’s a struggle. We try to use the verbal path, but even that isn’t consistent.
I had to go back and read about Jump Starts. I don’t do them, however, as the kids are working in small groups they do hear and notice what is going on and I have started asking them if they would like to tell so and so what they did well that day. They share precious, sincere comments with each other and sometimes I think the praise from their peers is more special than praise from me.
This year I implemented Mr. Greg’s coordinating sticker/post it colors for grouping. As the kids read, I jot down focus ideas for our next session. I then take a bold sharpie and write those teaching notes on coordinating colored paper so instead of scratching down words on the white board during our small group time, I can take the paper, attach it to the board and start teaching. It’s a time saver for me, and it helps me organize what I want to accomplish. I do recognize that the children need to see guided writing too. I try to do this on the SMARTboard or on chart paper during whole group instruction.
I need to become a better planner. By that I mean, planning needs to be more focused on skills and strategies vs. projects and themes. Those days are gone and I need to let it go. We plan as a team (3 teachers) and that can be challenging because our visions for planning need to mesh. We still do thematic teaching and then we try to find books and activities to go along with the theme while covering the objectives of our reading and math series (Reading Street and Eureka Math). I’d be curious to hear how other K teachers plan.
Thanks for listening to my ramble.
Hi Kim, We started using Handwriting Without Tears this year. This was a learning year for us, but the students seemed to enjoy it, and it wasn’t hard to teach. Just a little hard to manage with our high class sizes. I’d love to have 18 in my class as you do! I’m interested in the block of free time you have. What are student options at this time?
Hello All,
I’m so happy I found this book study! I hope you don’t mind if I join you a little late. I teach kindergarten in Anaheim, CA and am working on finding other K teachers to collaborate with, and learn from. Going to get the book right now!
Looking forward to joining you,
Laura Emerson
@educ8remerson
We have our literacy block from 8:15-11. For 20-30 minutes of that we have to do BURST intervention groups (a program based on DIBELS scores). I have my opinions on this program which I will keep to myself for now. I typically meet with 2 small groups per day and have 5 or 6 groups depending on my class size. We are now being told to meet with every group everyday. So I will be changing up my schedule in order to accomplish this. But this book study is perfect for me because one of my professional goals (this part of our evaluation system here in CO) is to be more focused and intentional in my small group planning. I want to be way more effective during that time. Usually I just choose a skill that I think the group needs, typically based on DIBELS results, and go with that. But I don’t feel like it’s enough, and I’m still leaving gaps in their learning. I have a teammate, but not one that I can get ideas from, so I often feel like I am on my own for figuring all of this out. We have been expected to plan together but it’s usually me planning and her just watching/copying it all down. But I’m pushing for some individualized planning, to increase my effectiveness and create some better accountability for each of us. I’m grateful for opportunities like this and hope this will help me accomplish my goal for small groups. My jumpstarts have always been pretty general, “good reading,” good job blending those sounds together,” etc. I like the idea of giving them more specific feedback and something to work on. I also like that she says to expect thinking. We guide a lot, especially in K, sometimes it feels like because they’re little and new to school we shouldnt expect a whole lot from them. But I totally disagree. They are sponges and will need modeling but if we expect it, they will most often rise to the occasion.
Hi,
My schedule this year went like this:
7:35-7:50-breakfast
7:50-8:00-bathroom break
8:00-8:20- morning meeting/calendar
8:20-8:30–sight words
8:30-8:45–read aloud
8:45-9:10-writing
9:15- small groups
10:15-lunch/recess
11:00-bathroom break
11:15- Science/S.S.
11:45-12:45-pullouts
12:45- finish science/s.s
1:00- math
2:10- closing meeting
2:25- dismissal
We normally get about 2 hours for literacy. As for jumpstarts, I normally start with like a purpose, like today we are going to _______. I do like the idea of only doing one running record at the beginning of the small group. I however struggle with the idea of not meeting with each group each day especially in the beginning of the year. Normally I only move a group from every day to maybe every other day when they are beyond where they have to be for the year. But I normally meet with 4 groups a day and if I have 5 groups I will alternate days with my highest two groups.
Emily
Hello Everybody, I teach all day kindergarten in Anaheim, CA. 28 students, just me, all day. We are 80% English learner, 80%+ free/reduced lunch. Although I teach in the same city as the “Happiest Place on Earth,” most of my precious students live in zip codes of poverty. Here’s my daily schedule from this year. Next year I’d like to modify it. I’ll be looking at all of your schedules for ideas!
7:30-7:40 Roll, flag, announcements
7:40-8:10 ELD
8:10-9:00 Math
9:00-9:15 Recess/Break
9:15-10:30 Language Arts (foundational skills/reading/writing)
10:30-11:15 Lunch
11:15-12:15 Read aloud / Language Arts, cont.
12:15-12:45 Rotation (music M/W, computers/technology T/Th, art F)
12:45-1:15 PE
1:15-1:50 Science/social studies
2:00 Dismiss
Takeaways from chapter 1
* I need to be focused every day on making my day as connected as possible. This means I’ve got to know what my students know, and guide them to apply that knowledge into their new learning.
* Big rocks in my day….protect these things! I consider writer’s workshop among the most important part of my day because it is where students can connect/apply their listening/speaking/reading. This part of the day it is most difficult to give quality feedback to all who need it. I do the best I can, but sure would love help during this time of the day! I don’t want to let field trips, assemblies, or other school interruptions disrupt this sacred time!
* Small group reading is also a “big rock” in the day. It has not happened in my program as consistently as I know it needs to. With a group of 6 kindergarteners in front of me I’ve got 22 others supposedly being independent problem solvers while working on meaningful literacy activities. The past few years I have had large numbers of students that (even with explicit and ongoing training) cannot regulate their behavior for 15 minutes while I teach the small group. It is frustrating but I cannot give up. Meeting with small groups it too important!
One of the favorite points I loved hearing…. again… “They should not be doing round-robin reading. This is not considered best practice.” I just loved that she just came right out and said it!! So troops… if you’re still using this method, I hope you’ll reconsider. I also loved, there is no right or wrong way, planning the day before, deeper comprehension questions, having a focus, etc.. Can’t wait for Chapter 2. In fact, I might just take a peek! ; )
I loved having the permission to not meet with every group every day. There have been times in the past where I have called a group and worked with them on an advanced concept to challenge them, but really they really need more independent reading time and more one on one. I am the Spanish half of a Dual Language classroom, so I don’t usually have an aide during Spanish literacy. I am looking forward to trying the Jump Starts, especially since my students will be trying to read for the first time in Spanish. My schedule is a bit different, since I am working with my students as reading in Spanish in addition to and supporting the reading instruction they already get in Spanish. My students will be getting 120 minutes on the English side plus another 30 minutes from me.
Kim, we imbed science and social studies into our reading lessons as well. Makes it so much easier to teach everything and keep kids engaged. We do separate lessons on science and social studies as well when time permits.
Daily Schedule-
Morning Work- 10 min.
Morning Meeting- 10-15 min.
Math- 60 min.
Problem Solving- 30 min. (90 min total for math)
Reading Block- 90 min. (Science and Social Studies are included in reading materials not instruction)
Recess/Lunch
Silent Reading- 5-7 min. (We called this “5 to 7 minutes” and it was used a s a cool down time)
Writer’s workshop- 60 min.
Special
Social Studies- 30 min.
Intervention time- 30 min.
There was three read alouds daily, a 90-minute reading block, and our 5-7 minutes after lunch. In total, we had about 110 minutes or an hour and 50 minutes of reading daily. Students are also asked to read when done or have a book ready if there is an interruption in instruction (for some crazy reason…). Reading was also the only type of homework that my students were given throughout the school year. They were asked to read a half an hour each night. They were encouraged to read over the weekend. Students that took advantage of extra reading were students that grew the most throughout the year. Next year I’d like to find more motivators.
I was able to take part in a reading workshop during the school year that completely transformed the way I was teaching reading instruction. My students became better readers in a shorter amount of time. I am hoping that this year (my second year of teaching) it will increase. Once I started conferencing with my students on a regular bases I saw that they were more motivated and better prepared for reading. They had personal goals to look forward to. They also seemed to like making connections with me and the stories they were reading. That’s motivation in itself.
I haven’t used the “jump start” method in my reading groups before. I like the idea of it and have seen this work in math. If I had a particular student struggling with a concept, meeting with that student to ground her/his understanding before meeting as a group helped the students confidence. This also help my instruction time in the group because I was dealing with more engaged students. I HAVE TO remind myself or the importance of this in the coming school year.
General schedule because my schedules were all over the place last year:)
Schedule; 8:20 – 8:45 Calendar, building skills, RTI time (aide or myself with our students)
8:45 – 9:15 Guiding Readers Whole Group
9:15 – 9:30 Word Work
9:30 – 10:15 Small Groups/centers
10:15 – 10;40 Writers Workshop
10:45 – 11:35 Lunch and Recess
11:35 – 12:00 Read Aloud, Restrooms,Drinks, Go Noodle, Poetry/RTI with students from other rooms
12:00 – 12:30 Specials
12:35 – 1:10 Math Workshop
1:10 – 1:30 Recess
1:30 – 1:45 Math Journals/Poetry Journals
1:45 – 2:15 Specials (3 days a week)//Science/Studies
2:15 – 2:30 Snacks/Ready to go home/Read Aloud
2:30 – 3:00 Math Small Groups/Math/Science centers/(3 days a week), Free choice/Makeup time (1 day), Extra STEM time (I day a week)
About 90 minutes for reading.
My Jumpstarts were more general to the group so I am going to be working on this for next year.
Sorry, that I am joining late. I was on vacation. I have enjoyed the comments.