Here in Australia, I have never once heard this literacy program mentioned. We have numerous literacy programs available, depending on which one your principal signs your school up for. At my school, we participate in a program called ALERT. There is also Accelerated Literacy, Best Start, Focus on Reading, Key into Comprehension....the list is very very long.
But I thought with everyone posting about the Daily 5, that I should find out why it is so popular.
I have only read through the first 4 chapters and already I can see ways to make my reading time more meaningful. The first thing that really got me thinking was 'good fit books'. I have a fairly sizable class library. I have just taken the step of separating non-fiction from chapter books, picture books from joke books. They are all in separate boxes so that the kids can figure out what they want to read and access it easily. But I had honestly never thought about teaching them HOW to choose a book and what a good fit book should look like and feel like. We started talking about it in class yesterday and I really appreciate the concept and definitely will implement this into the classroom, especially with my less confident readers.
The second bit a have taken on board straight away is the modelling aspect. The book said that as teachers, we model what we want from students but usually only once or twice and then we expect our kids to know what to do. But modelling needs to be practiced repeatedly in order to get the results you are looking for. This is something I am definitely going to begin with next week and not just in reading lessons but in all small group activities.
At the very beginning of the book, the sisters laid out why they came up with this program and the reason was because they were spending too much of their instruction time on things that took them away from the reading instruction. I could have said those very words myself! If this program helps me to actually FOCUS ON READING rather than correctly behaviours or settling kids, then I will be a happy teacher.
What are your Daily 5 experiences? Do you feel that it gives you more time for the instruction side of lessons? I'd love to hear your stories.
On something else, Tammy at 1,2,3 Teach with Me is celebrating her 400 followers with a giveaway! I'm donating an item from my TpT store along with lots of other bloggers! Click the pic to visit her blog and get your entries in.
Hi there! My co-teacher are planning to implement Daily 5 for the first time this year. We started school today and plan to launch Read to Self tomorrow. We're a little nervous, but like you, felt our kiddos will benefit from this structure of literacy block. We just wish all the training was done already - LOL!
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Teaching Little Miracles
I'm sure you'll love it Brooke! I started with the Daily 5 and CAFE in my second year of teaching (and first year teaching 2nd grade) and I've implemented it ever since. It's takes modelling and reinforcement at the start, but after that it tends to run itself. Research shows that kids learn to read by reading, so I prefer the Daily 5 over other models that have kids filling in lots of sheets, but not doing too much reading.
ReplyDeleteKylie
Down Under Teacher
Isn't it fabulous? I am just now starting to tweak it to suit me and my classroom. We still do all of the rotations but I have days where I choose the activities that they do and then one choice day where they can do any activity in any order. I love that it is so easy to adapt for your own personal teaching style and classroom!
ReplyDeleteShanyn
Coffee, Kids and Compulsive Lists
I am so blog stalking you now to see how it works for you! I also had never heard of it before in my pre blog life!!! But it had crossed my mind to start it next year. Looking forward to your trial - anything that helps in reading must be a bonus. My only hesitancy would be how it ties in with the Nat. Curr. - it only allocates 20 minutes a day for reading!!! My current school is fairly strict on our adherence to the C2C program ...
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