Why You Should Review Guided Reading Expectations Every Day
Why reviewing guided reading expectations every day is KEY
As a first grade teacher, I know the importance of practicing the behaviors we want to see every day. Guided reading is no exception and in this blog post, I’m going to share with you why you should review guided reading expectations every day.
I’m a big fan of The Daily 5 to structure my literacy block so I can get to all of my guided reading groups on a daily basis. My students build their stamina at the beginning of the year and maintain a level of work that allows me to meet with small groups daily. One key to have a stable work environment is going over expectations every day. If you’re thinking that sounds like a lot of work or the kids really don’t need it once they’ve established their routine, I’m here to tell you, you’re probably dealing with behavior issues on the side that could be eliminated by daily practice of expectations.
Classroom management begins and ends with high expectations. If your students know what to expect on a daily basis, they will feel more confident in their abilities to make the right choices when it comes to behavior.
Repetition is the mother of skill
Repetition Is The Mother Of Skill
Repetition is the mother of skill is one of my favorite sayings because it rings true. Students strive on repetition because they’re getting consistency every single day. My first graders are the first to tell me if I forget to go over the Daily 5 expectations and they love repeating the steps using Whole Brain Teaching. If you want to see the exact 5 expectations my students go over everyday, you can click here.
I go into more detail on how to use Whole Brain Teaching to reinforce your guided reading expectations in this YouTube video.
Empower your students during guided reading
Reviewing Guided Reading Expectations Empowers Students
Knowledge is power for our students. If they know what to do everyday, there’s no gray area which makes behavior expectations black or white. For example, if one of our rules is to “Stay in one spot” and a student is getting up and moving around, then that’s not following the rules and a conversation will happen with that student. 99% of the time, my students stay in one spot unless it’s to go to the bathroom or to move locations because another student is distracting them from their independent activity. I empower my students to move spots if someone is bothering them. I let them know they don’t have to tell me about it, they can just move. This allows me to keep teaching my guided reading group and teaches them autonomy.
There’s no wiggle room for expectations when you review
Leaves Zero Room For Confusion
If you’re repeating the same expectations every single day, then students can’t argue what the expectations are. Having those rules from day one, sets the tone for the entire school year. This also helps when you have a substitute teacher because students will know exactly what to do and your sub will be so impressed by how well managed your students are during literacy time. (I know this is true because it’s the number one comment I get from substitute teachers!)
The ultimate goal of a productive literacy block is for your students to work independently so you can pull guided reading groups. When I taught kindergarten, I was able to pull guided reading groups everyday using this method!
Create a consistent learning environment for your students
Creates A Consistent Learning Environment
No matter if you’re gone for the day or there’s an assembly that disrupts your literacy block, establishing the consistency of expectations early on, will pay dividends later. You know with classroom management that follow through is everything and the same goes with having the same procedures for your literacy time is going to make kids feel at ease. Many of your students come to school craving consistency, and as the teacher, we have to be the one who provides it. Students won’t have to worry about what is going to happen at school because you have it under control.
I hope you’ll start reviewing guided reading expectations everyday to make your life and the life of your students easier at school. You can use the exact expectations I use by click here!
Grab the first 10 steps to create more independent learners!
If you’re looking to transform your literacy block to grow more independent learners and finally get to all your reading groups on a daily basis, grab my FREE 10 step guide to walk you through the first 10 steps to transform your classroom.