I hate my classroom carpet. I hate its boring shape, I hate its size, I hate its stains, I hate all of the dust and papers that it accumulates, I hate that it is worn and tattered at the seams, I hate that I am expected to use it, even though we all know it has become old and obsolete.
Have you ever tried fitting 27 (and counting) five
year olds in a 6’ x 9’ carpet? It is
practically impossible! They are five
and tiny, but a few are always left outside.
Now, if by some miracle I get to fit them all, really squished and
whining all along, fitting in the carpet is simply the first step. How do you keep 27 five year olds
engaged? How do you keep 27 five year
olds learning on the carpet all day? I
hate the carpet as it represents to me, what the world of education seems to be
today. A size that everyone must fit,
and a space where everyone must stay.
After some research and advice, I
decided to leave the carpet behind. It
is still there, worn and torn; we use it sometimes for reading and fun. However, my instruction is no longer
confined, no longer restricted to one shape and or one size. I have left whole group instruction behind and
now embrace the reading workshop, which has changed my state of mind.
~
The reading workshop has allowed
me to differentiate and meet all of my student’s needs. Its components and procedures have helped me foster
a love for reading that many of my students did not have. The cooperative classroom environment the
model provides, has helped me get to know my students as the individuals they
are. It has helped them build, strong trusting
and understanding relationships with each other and myself. The model allows my students to work
independently, in small or whole groups whichever they prefer. We change it up all the time, we go with the
flow, and let our imagination go.
What I love and have embraced the
most, is that the reading workshop has given my students a sense of
responsibility over their learning.
Every day they are in control of what they learn and at what pace, I am
only there to provide support. It has built
their confidence and self-esteem, because the content is tailored to their
ability, background knowledge, culture, and learning style. Through the reading workshop I am also able
to respect and consider all of my student’s interests, they are the center of my
planning and instructional delivery.
All of my students, ELL or IEP,
black or white, poor or rich receive what they need from me. Many other experts and specialists come and
go during the day, but the reading workshop has allowed ME to keep track of all
of my students, to be “THE” person responsible and most invested in helping them
reach their goals.
~
I have learned during this
transition that when I allow my students to be themselves, to learn their way and
at their pace, to build relationships with their peers and me, their learning progresses,
there is always growth, which I have a year’s
worth of data to show.
That is the reason why today, I
recommend you leave the carpet behind, push it to a corner or cut it up and spread
it all around. Do not confine your
teaching and learning to one shape or one size.
Do not confine your students one size does not fit all. I believe it is time to change the way we
teach and learn, and it all starts with
just one teacher, in one classroom, you have the power to change the world.
