Book Club Plus

In our classroom, we have been using the Houghton Mifflin reading curriculum. This is very similar to the Book Club Plus model in the way that students are practicing reading strategies (such as predictions, summarizations, decoding, etc.). Also, students will be using literacy centers, and will be placed in guided reading groups once they have finished STEP testing. One of the main differences between these two instructional models are that Houghton Mifflin focuses primarily on reading, with few writing tasks incorporated in the units, where the Book Club Plus model involves all aspects of literacy.

The Houghton-Mifflin book has word for word what to say to the students as you are teaching them. Besides the literacy centers, which do not begin until Unit 4, most of the lessons are more teacher directed, rather than student oriented. For example, all of our lessons begin on the carpet where my cooperating teacher will give examples of rhyming words. Instead of the students working together in groups to discuss which words rhyme, and how they have come to that conclusion, only one or two students will be called on to give a rhyming word. The students complete many worksheets throughout the day, such as writing their letters, and circling pictures that have a specific beginning sound. The students complete these worksheets independently, and are not allowed to speak. It will be interesting to see the transition from completing worksheets to centers and guided reading groups, where the students, hopefully, will be sharing their thoughts on books, and working together at literacy centers. Although the students will be placed in guided reading groups, they will not be participating in book club groups.

Reading is seen in our class during our read-aloud every morning. Students have also been given miniature books that contain the two sight words that they have learned (I and see). The sight word books have “I see” and then a picture followed by a punctuation mark to represent a sentence. Students also read in the morning while we are during our calendar, days of the week, and months of the year songs. Writing is seen in our class when students first come into school. The students enter the classroom, put away their backpacks, turn in the homework folders, check-in, and then complete a writing worksheet. The worksheet will have letters for the students to trace, and then a few lines for them to write the letters on their own as a review from yesterday’s lesson. Later in the day, after students are introduced to a new letter or sight word, they practice tracing and then writing the letter or word. Students spend most of their time listening and viewing in the classroom. They listen to their peers help with the circle time activities, and they listen to the teachers as we teach our lessons. They also listen during their specials, such as art, gym, library, and computer class. Students are beginning to speak more in our classroom. I suggested to my CT that we have the students share their pictures that they draw based on the read-aloud. We have been having five students per day come up to the front of the carpet, and explain to the class what they drew a picture of. Students also speak during circle time if they have the days of the week or calendar job for that week.

I am hoping to incorporate some of the methods I have read in the Book Club Plus model when I begin my guided lead teaching. I would like to give the students more opportunities to talk, and work in groups.