Managing the Reading First Classroom

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Managing the Reading First Classroom

• Regina Blair, Ph.D.
• Saro Mohammed
• Central Regional Reading First Technical
  Assistance Center
• The University of Texas at Austin
• Linda Boley
• Chestnut Knob Road Meadow Bridge Elementary, WV
  
• Krista McKenzie
• Keyser Primary Middle School, WV
• Kelli Stanley
• Oakvale Elementary, WV

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Management Topics

• Managing Time and Classroom Space
• Managing Student Activity
• Managing Alternative Grouping Formats

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Physical Factors

• Space available and space needed
• Furniture and other equipment
• Visual displays such as bulletin board
• Floor space needs
• Storage space

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Is this a Good Room Arrangement?
Why? Why Not?
Evertson, C. M., Emmer, E. T., Clements, B. S.,
Worsham, M. E. (1997). Classroom management for
elementary teachers (4th ed.). Boston, MA Allyn
Bacon..
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Is this a Good Room Arrangement?
Why? Why Not?
Evertson, C. M., Emmer, E. T., Clements, B. S.,
Worsham, M. E. (1997). Classroom management for
elementary teachers (4th ed.). Boston, MA Allyn
Bacon.
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A simple coat tree is used to organize activities
for work stations. A bag of rhyming stamps,
sight word stamps, or alphabet stamps can be
found here.
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Time Management

• Prepare ahead
• Establish and post a daily schedule
• Provide time parameters
• Plan a variety of activities

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Time Management (cont.)

• Keep notebook with implementation plan from one
  year to the next
• Examine your lesson plans from last year
• Make materials reusable
• File information/materials

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Available Resources

• Utilize planning tools (online and in print)
• Checklists
• Rubrics
• Organizational ideas
• Collaborate
• Coach
• Teachers
• Remember, you dont need to re-invent the wheel,
  use what is available after you have examined for
  quality.

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Some Online Resources

• http//www.fcrr.org/activities/
• http//www.4teachers.org/
• http//rubistar.4teachers.org/
• http//ldonline.org/
• http//www.cec.sped.org/
• http//www.ed.gov/free/
• http//school.discovery.com/
• http//www.education-world.com/
• http//www.educationplanet.com/

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Rules

• Are absolute
• Few in number
• Brief and understandable
• Positively stated

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Procedures

• Most important aspect of classroom management
• Often overlooked
• Accustomed way of getting things done
• Necessary routines for running the classroom

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Procedures (cont.)

• Numerous but limited to just one behavior
• Can be approached proactively
• Change according to need
• Built into every lesson
• Should be taught explicitly

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Developing Procedures

• Identify a need
• Write an objective
• Break down components
• Teach the procedure
• Model the procedure
• Check for understanding
• Practice, practice, practice
• Revisit

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An I Can list helps students review the
procedure for the listening work station.
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Transitions

• Avoid complex activities to reduce disruptions
• Plan carefully to minimize loss of instructional
  time
• Teach children self-management skills
• Ensure rotations from one center to another are
  efficient

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Facilitating Transitions

• Model appropriate transition behaviors
• Signal the beginning and ending of activities
• Remediate transition difficulties as they occur
• Practice, practice, practice
• Reinforce quick and quiet transitions
• Remember effective transitions are essential to
  maximize engagement time.

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Transition Signals

• Visual
• Light
• Schedule display
• Auditory
• Timer or Bell
• Musical
• (sing songs, play music, play an instrument)
• Taped message

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Sample Schedule

• Whole Group Activities (30 min)
• Introduction of core reading program story,
  vocabulary, phonics, phonemic awareness
  activities and comprehension strategies.
• Part of the time would be spent at the carpet
  area and the other portion would be spent at
  their seat.
• Small Flexible Grouping/Literacy Workstations (60
  min)
• Homogenous grouping during small flexible
  groups. The teacher works with 5-7 children on
  specific needs based skills.
• Other students are working on literacy
  workstations that are connected to the core
  program using the five components.
• The students rotate stations every twenty
  minutes.

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Where are the students during small group
instruction?
Mixed-Ability Groups at Work Stations
Same-Ability Group at Teacher-Led Station
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Effective Appropriate Use of Work Stations

• Design centers/stations to facilitate individual
  and small-group practice
• Post rules and procedures
• Provide specific tasks with clear instructions
• Scaffold materials so students work independently
• Use management charts to organize classroom
  activity
• Provide a range of levels within each work
  station
• Practice previously taught, not new content

(Evertson, et al., 2000 Zimmerman, 1998)
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Demonstrating a Work Station

• Explain the station
• Model expected behavior
• Have 1-2 students demonstrate
• Observe the station in action
• Make necessary adjustments

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Sample Listening Work Station
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Sample Listening Work Station
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Sample Listening Work Station
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Flexible Group Displays
Red Group
Green Group
Blue Group
Purple Group
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Students use this pocket chart in order to tell
which stations they will complete for the day.
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Using a Work Board
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Minimizing Student Interruptions

• Triangle cards
• Ask 3 then me
• Lights on
• Hat
• (Cup on table) green/yellow/red
• Hand signals (1,2,3)
• Teachers parking lot
• See handout for details

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Suggestions for Getting Started in Your RF
Classroom

• Use every resource available
• Attend staff developments
• Visit existing RF classrooms
• Locate articles, books, websites..
• Collaborate with other teachers and the reading
  coach
• Make detailed plans - asap
• Develop clear rules and procedures for the
  classroom
• Dont try to do everything at once.take small
  steps
• Keep collaborating and developing

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For More Information, Contact
Regina B. Blair, Ph.D. rblair_at_mail.utexas.edu Cent
ral Regional Reading First Technical Assistance
Center (CRRFTAC) Vaughn Gross Center for Reading
and Language Arts The University of Texas at
Austin