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Independence & Accountability

      Every week, with the exception of Testing Weeks, our reading instruction has been comprised of "stations". It's an easy concept as well as an effective one.

      Stations run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Students are divided into 4 groups and each group starts at one of the four stations. They remain in that station for 15 minutes, completing the task at hand. After the 15 minutes, we rotate. This occurs for one hour, allowing each group the opportunity to visit each station. Stations consisted of guided reading, spelling exercises, computer time, the Daily Practice Book, Grading spelling and grammar homework, and other relevant assignments. The kids knew how to cruise through the stations and often made the most out of each one.

     This past week we've changed things up a bit. I've decided to adopt a teaching/learning model I employed many years ago. This model I call "Independent Stations".

      Independent Stations allow for increased independence while fostering accountability. Here's how it works:
  • Monday: The story of the week, spelling words, grammar, writing, and other assignments are introduced. We "set-up" the week, making sure to find the common thread within each assignment. For example; if the reading skill is "compare & contrast" then the assignments basically revolve around this skill. My students now know the reading skills & strategies so now they will be expected to apply their knowledge.
    • Students are given a planning sheet for the week with all of the assignments as well as the times that I will meet with their groups. Once we have completed our week review the students "plan out" the next three days in terms of what they will do and when they will do it. Of course, some assignments will be a higher priority than others.
  • Tuesday-Thursday: During our afternoon reading block student follow thier personal weekly plan. I meet with various groups on various days working on reading from the Reading Street Book as well as authentic novels.
  • Friday: Assessment Day. The Selection and Spelling tests are given and all work for the week is due.

      It's interesting to watch how different kids plan out their week. Sometimes they choose to work with another on an assignment while other times they want to work alone. Sometimes they choose the more "creative" type assignments first then work on the more "intellectual" assignments later in the week or vice-versa. Sometimes they extend the assignment all on thier own, without any prompting from me, which, in fact, is exactly what I want them to do!

      The independence they experience in being able to choose the activity they are engaged in alongside the accountability that's being taught will help them to navigate through the many years of schooling they have ahead of themselves.

      I am excited to once again ressurect the teaching/learning model I used years before. I look forward to watching my students grow, learn and explore independence as well as accountability.

Mr. Casten
Feb. 7, 2014
 
Copyrighted material of Michael C. Casten

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