I agree with Calkins and Taberski...Here's how I do it...Long response

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I agree with Calkins and Taberski...Here's how I do it...Long response
By Mary

I agree with Calkins and Taberski. My second graders READ during Reading Workshop time. I firmly believe that kids learn to read by READING and not by doing projects, workbooks, or worksheets. Here is how I do Reading Workshop
in my second grade classroom, and it REALLY works, and the kids LOVE it.
I have eight different baskets of books. I change the contents of the baskets every month, but I also add to the baskets as the month goes on. Each day a group of four kids gets one of the baskets of books. The kids are responsible for selecting the baskets so I don't have to keep track of which group had a

basket on the day before. There are about 20-25 books in each basket. In each basket I put 3-4 paperback books, which are leveled for different abilities...from easy-to-read to early chapter books.There are also paperback and hardcover picture books. Some of these books are seasonal, others are books I have read to the kids, fairytale books, books from an author study, books pertaining to something we are studying, and just wonderful books that all kids should read. Each week I have two kids whose job it is to be the class librarians. They go to the library and pick out eight books to put in the baskets. I also include poetry books and joke and riddle books. There are also non-fiction books. These non-fiction books are about a topic we are studying or going to study or topics the kids are interested in. I also look through our school's library for art books, cook books, biographies, etc. I also put in maps, atlases, kids' magazines like Zoo Books, Ranger Rick, Cricket, etc...(I ask parents to send in their back issues). I even laminate interesting articles from our local newspapers for the kids to read.
We begin Reading Workshop time by having EVERYONE, including me and any parent volunteers, reading quietly at their seats using the books from these baskets. This is important because the kids have time to focus in and they learn that reading to themselves can be enjoyable. They also are exposed to lots of different kinds of books and reading materials to broaden their reading tastes.
After this time period is over, I begin small flexible groups and reading conferences. While I am doing this, the kids can either continue reading from the books in the basket or read books that are in their Book Bags. The books in their bags are ones I help them select and are at their independent reading level.
I also divide the kids into groups of six (not ability groups, but just a mixture of levels and gender). Each group can either read in the beanbags in our classroom library, listen to books on tape (I have three tape recorders powered by batteries and two baskets of taped books). I don't use earphones so the kids can carry these to any part of the room or out in the hall where they won't disturb others. Kids can also do Buddy Reading with a partner. I have baskets of Buddy Reading books where there are two of each book. I assign a group of kids to each of the above reading activities so everyone gets a turn during the week.
Believe me, this system works. The kids love doing reading this way and they become very good readers because they READ. Right now, (December) my kids can do Reading Workshop for an hour and a half each day.
At the end of Reading Workshop time we spend about 10-15 minutes reflecting upon what we learned about reading that day. Many times I have the kids practice a strategy we are working on and we talk about that strategy. Often I let the kids share a great book with the whole class that they read. Many times I leave the topic we are going to reflect upon up to the kids. They come up with wonderful ideas.
The kids are required to write down at least one of the books they read during Reading Workshop time. They also have to write down the name of the author and the genre of the book. The kids are also required to write and draw a response about one of the books they have read during the week.We do this on Friday. But, we do that activity altogether. I find that when I am able to roam while they are writing and drawing their responses, that the quality of their thinking is MUCH better because I can nudge them. Often, for variety, I will have the kids make up and act out a response with their friends, have kids who have read the same book or genre have a literature discussion, or do Readers' Theater on Friday.
My kids are also required to read at least 20 minutes each night. I send home a form for them to fill out each night about their reading. I also send home a form for the weekend, which is optional, but most kids spend time reading on the weekends. Every day I spend the beginning of the day (about 10-15 minutes talking about their previous night's at home reading). I record on the overhead on a form I have created how many minutes each child read at home, if they read by themselves or with someone else, and who they discussed the books with. Then I have the kids look at the data on the overhead and they tell me what they noticed. They can also ask each other questions about each other's at home reading. Each week the kids total up the total number of minutes read at home and we post this information on our classroom door for all to see.