Comprehension Strategy Pictures

I was looking through some old pictures and noticed something I used to do as a teacher and then quit.  You always think of yourself as getting better...but sometimes as you look back you notice you have let some things slip.  This is something I used to do but stopped in order to 'keep up' - ha!  Like that ever happens!  So I'm bringing it back.  

Kids love pictures of themselves.  LOVE.  So one of the ways I use that to my advantage is to take pictures of kids doing something the right way.  You would be amazed how quickly everyone in your class is picture perfect when they notice the camera around.  I also use the love of pictures to help reinforce reading strategies that we have learned.  

If you haven't read Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor then go buy it now!  Seriously. Amazing!  I use a lot of her ideas for introduction lessons and anchor charts.  As the years have gone on I have tweaked the lessons for myself.  But she is the basis of how I teach reading comprehension.  

I strongly believe in the gradual release of responsibility model in all my teaching.  If you aren't familiar with it then I would look it up.  But basically it reminds me that I can't expect the kids to just know how to do something after one lesson.  Sounds like common sense but I used to get so frustrated when kids didn't get 'it' after one or two lessons.  The GRR model basically says the teacher models while students watch and learn.  The next step is the teacher models but gets student help and input.  Then the teacher begins to let the students do more work while she monitors that they are doing it accurately.  The goal is then for the students to use the strategy independently.  For some things the GRR model takes a few lessons, sometimes a few days, and sometimes weeks.  But it reminds me that I have to have done a good job teaching it / modeling it / training it before I ever expect my students to do it.  And then to be okay with guiding them as they first try it.  It's not going to be perfect all the time.  I have to be okay with their approximations as they learn it.  Okay...off my GRR rant.

GRR = I do, we do, you do

So when I have finished the teaching / modeling part of the GRR model and want the students to start trying it, then I choose a few kids to 'model' the mini lessons.  You will recognize the anchor charts and focus lesson components from Comprehension Connections if you have read it.  I post these pictures on the class website and around the room.  You would be amazed at how many kids go home and tell their parents about these strategies when they know they or their friends are in the picture. 

Metacognition - this one has the 'real' reading salad with text and thinking cards

Officially this goes with metacognition.  It's the thought bubble for modeling thinking while you read...always a class favorite!

Schema - lint roller example and a book about an apple orchard (we went on a field trip to one that year so we had schema for it)

Inferring - mystery neighbor garbage bag lesson

 

Questioning

Visualization - no anchor chart for some reason but they have the suntan lotion and their mental images drawn

So my goal next year is to take pictures after we have learned a strategy.  I want to use the love of pictures of themselves to help make my teaching stick.  Btw - these kids are going to be 6th graders next year...gah!  I'm getting old...