Observation Reading Instruction

Grade: 1

Madison Elementary

Observation 1: Classroom Management

The standard for my observation day 1 was 1 R.I. Ask and answer questions about

key details in a text. The type of reading instruction that was used during my

observation one was shared reading. The standard was met by the teacher asking

the students about different events in the story. She began by telling the students

about finding details in a story. She also told them that there are many ways to find

different details in the story. While reading the book she stopped at different parts

of the book to ask about the details of an event. One student said, From the

beginning we found out different parts of the story. She explained to the students

that main details often are happening throughout the whole story. They may not be

clear right away, but reading the book a few times you will realize that the main

ideas come together to make the big ideas stand out. The teacher put on the board

the rug rules for the students. Each time that the students are going to be on the

floor reading a book together she puts the rules out so that the students can see

them clearly. She enforces the rules and reminds the students each time they are

down starting to read. She also went over the daily schedule with the students when

I was observing so I would have an idea of how the day works. The students had a

few questions such as why they were having social studies in the morning. She

explained me that their art instruction took longer the afternoon before, so they did

not have time for social studies. The students listened well while she was going
through the schedule. During the center time she was working on assessments with

one student at a time. These assessments are called DRA Developmental Reader

Assessment. The students worked at their centers while she was assessing a

student. If a student came up to ask a question she would tell them that she is

working with a student and they would have to ask at a different time. The students

that were working on their centers were working quietly for most of the time, but

would get a little loud at some points. Some of the parts of the assessments she

had the students do were asking for the main details from the beginning, middle

and end. Another task she had the student do was to read a paragraph from the

reading and they would ask the teacher a question by using a question word that

they knew. In my future classroom I would use what the teacher uses in what she

calls a picture walk. Without reading any of the words have the students look

through the book looking at the pictures and predicting what the book is going to be

about.

Observation 2: Literacy Instruction

The Standard that was used in day 2 of my observation was 1R.F. a. Recognize the

distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending

punctuation). The teacher started by asking what the different punctuation parts of

a sentence were. She then asked the students how their voices might sound when

they are reading the different punctuation marks. One student said, Your voice

goes higher for a question. Another student said, You have to have expression for

exclamation points. The students came up with if you are yelling at someone or are

excited for something that you use an exclamation point. They also came up with if

you are asking something you use a question mark. Before reading the teacher told

the student that readers are thinkers which means you have to think about what
you are reading while you are doing the reading and asking yourself questions

throughout the story. The type of reading instruction used was a shared reading

called Mr. Mcdoodle and his scooter. There was also a guided reading group during

centers time reading The Special ride. The teacher stopped periodically through the

book and asked why certain punctuation marks were in the reading. She also went

on to tell the student about schema which are experience which can either be read

or told. The standard was met by having the students figure out what type of

punctuation was used and why it was used in the shared reading book. The shared

reading showed me that students learn when they are explained what they are

going to be doing. In the back of the shared reading book it shows what the teacher

can be doing on specific days of the week. When students are informed before

reading the book they have a chance to think about what they are looking for and

look while they are reading the book. The teacher gave many examples of how to

figure out reading such as clues + schema which is an inference. Students often

learn when there is an example that is given that they can reflect on. In my future

classroom I would tell my students what schema is which experiences that are read

or told by someone are. I would also tell my students that readers are thinkers. I

would tell the students that reading is more than just reading. While going through

a book you ask yourself many questions to help you understand the story.

Observation 3 Literacy Instruction

The standard that was used in day three of my observation was 2 R.F. b. Orally

produce single- syllable words by blending sounds (phonemes), including consonant

blends. The type of reading instruction used in this observation was shared reading

and guided reading during center time. The shared reading book that was read was

The Giant on Ginger Hill. The book that was reading during guided reading was
Peeping Sleeping. During this observation the teacher had me read the shared

reading book. I focused on the blended sounds of Fl and Sl. I gave examples to

the students of words that started with those sounds before starting the reading. I

stopped a few times throughout the story and asked the students what words they

saw that were using those sounds at the beginning of the words. The students

started to realize that some of the words were repeating throughout the story. At

the end of the story I asked the students what words they remembered throughout

the story that started with the blending sounds that we talked about. I then told the

students that blending sounds are what makes up the words. The students learn by

sounding out words or parts of words when they do not know a certain word. This

came into the guided reading lesson that the teacher worked on during center time.

The teacher asked the students what to do when we come to a word that we do not

know. A few of answers were we use chunks to figure out words, another student

said, we look at the pictures. The teacher had a few words that were covered up

by a sticky note that she thought the students would have a hard time figuring out

what the words were. When they came to those words the students looked at the

pictures as well as the teacher gave clues such as what the word started with. Two

of the words the students figured out without the teacher giving any clues. They

were able to figure out on their own the words, by their own background knowledge.

In my future classroom I would use the technique of covering up words in the book

that I think the students would have a hard time figuring out what they are. I also

would use the new center ideas that the teacher used for the students. I also like

the shared reading books that the teacher uses as it tells in the back of the book

what to do with the students each day.

Conclusion
In our class time we spent a great amount of time talking about balanced literacy

and reading workshop. In the classroom I am observing in it is great to see this in

person rather than imagining it while we are reading or talking about it. Our

minilessons begin with the connection (84). Each of the times I have observed the

teacher has always started with a connection to something either they learned

previously or something they are currently working on. I noticed when the teacher

was giving the mini lesson and I it took about 10 15 minutes which we talked

about in class. Next we teach students something wed like to try. (84). The third

week I read a shared reading book and I had the students work on the two blending

sounds fl and sl. I have had a chance to see two guided reading groups while

observing. I noticed that each time there is a guided reading time they are working

on something different than other group was working on. When there is a guided

reading group there is usually one point they are focusing on besides just reading

the book. We talked about all the different components of Readers workshop and I

have seen shared reading, guided reading, centers, independent reading.