Grade One: Finding the Balance

One thing I have learned over the years is that there are many ways to teach.  I believe that inquiry is a great tool/approach for teaching children, but I also still believe that explicit instruction is needed in some areas and for some students.  I believe that balance is key- being flexible in planning to allow for more inquiry or explicit instruction, based on the needs of the students at that time.  Developing an inquiry stance is new for me.  I am listening carefully to students, working with small groups, allowing for more choice in activities and encouraging students to think for themselves and discover concepts through inquiry.  However, I am also still assessing, checking in with students and teaching some concepts explicitly, based upon the needs of my students. Sometimes the explicit instruction happens in a small group format, sometimes it is large group.  To help myself, stay on this path of balance, I have a created a day plan to remind me to allow for both approaches to teaching children, but at the same time I give myself permission to "drop the plan" to do more inquiry or explicit instruction, depending on where my students take me.

To help with this my day plan/weekly schedule is written in a way to reflect the two approaches teaching. I use this schedule to keep myself on-track, but I am always flexible so that either approach may be used based upon my student needs.

Here is an example:

Block 1:
- French/Remedial Reading Group and Planning Time


Block 2:
- Song, Prayer, Morning Meeting/Calendar, Knowledge Building Circle
- Word Study Activity (Cheer and print words, rhyming, word endings, MacCracken Phonics etc...)
- Math Mini-Lesson or Problem-Solving Inquiry
- Follow-Up Math activity or Math Stations
-Learning Places (if time)
*I also plan for small group instruction with a focus based upon student needs (often math focus)

Block 3:
-Read Aloud
-Author's Chair (often students share books they have created)
-Shared Reading
-Independent Reading/Guided Reading Group
-Shared Writing/ Writing Mini-Lesson
-Literacy Stations or Independent Writing activity that is teacher directed
*I also plan for small group instruction with a focus based upon student needs (Guided Writing)

Block 4:
-Snack/Read Aloud
-Gym/Religion/Science/Arts Mini-Lesson
-Follow-Up Activity
-Learning Places and Inquiry Stations
*I also plan for small group instruction with a focus based upon student needs (Language or Inquiry groupings)

*Please note that religion, arts and science are often integrated into language arts.  As well, DPA activities happen throughout the day and are not listed above*

Stations and Learning Places!

Last week, at a workshop I shared what amazing things my students are doing in writing because they have choice through literacy stations.  A colleague asked me to send her my tracking sheet for the literacy stations.  She was probably surprised to hear that I don't use one.  Instead, I have taken photos of each literacy station:  Working With Words (chalkboards, magnetic letters, word games, reading around the room wands), Pocket Chart Station (building sentences, poems), Writing Station (shape books, lined paper, unlined paper, clipboards, fancy paper, chalkboards etc...), Book Nook (library with fiction and non-fiction books), Listening Station, Big Books Station and Buddy Reading Station. I will sometimes also open our science inquiry stations at this time too as students record their wonderings/discoveries through writing and drawing.  I put the photos of the stations that are open for the Language block on my board during Literacy Stations. Students then choose where to go.  Instead of using a tracking sheet, students are recording their plans/work in their "Station Folder."  This way, if they have started to write a book, they have the book in their folder to continue.  To help encourage students to visit many stations, I sometimes limit the amount of stations open for choice.

Throughout the week I also have "Learning Places" open.  During these times, I also add stations such as the Creation Station (paints, construction paper, natural materials, recycled materials etc...), Math Station (games, books, manipulatives) and Block Station (i.e. wood blocks, play brix, lego, straws and connectors) open for learning.  Language arts is integrated in every station as students read, talk, draw and write about what they are doing.  When students paint or draw, I work with them one-on-one or in a small group to write about their paintings.  I take photos of their creations and ask them to write about what they were making.  When students have a wondering or discover something at a station, I ask them to record it through drawing and writing.

Student work is often shared throughout the week within our "Read Aloud" time during language arts, our Morning Meeting or before going home.  What I have found is that this sharing is the key for getting students to try new things.  When students hear a story written by a peer, it encourages them to do the same.  When students see how a student has experimented with paint at the Creation Station and their "technique" has been explained, it encourages others to visit and experiment too. The children are learning from one another. In addition to the mini-lessons we have and follow-up activities, the curriculum is being covered as students practice reading, writing, oral language and media skills through their "play" (and that is just one strand- think of the others- science, art, mathematics, learning skills- self-regulation, communication, initiative etc...).  Not only am I finding this way an effective way to engage my students, but it has brought LIFE and EXCITEMENT back into the classroom!