Using 4 blocks

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Home : 2004 : January : 2

Using 4 blocks
By Lily

I am a huge advocate of the 4 blocks framework and I love using the many activities in my classroom. However, I have been facing the same problem lately with uncertainty about small group instruction.
The last week
of school before vacation the principal observed me and wanted me to do small ability groups while others were at literacy centers. I have not really done guided reading like this because I don't like ability grouping. It stigmatizes and labels the children as low, middle, or high and causes them to develop an inner hierarchy that I dislike. However, when I did the guided reading a'la

Fountas and Pinnell, I liked the way I was able to individualize, or personalize(for lack of a better word) their instruction due to the fact that they were all on similar emergent levels. I also love doing guided reading with the 4 blocks method. I am considering combining the two, because I feel that there is no ONE way to teach, it is a combination of methods and strategies.
So, now that I've rambled on...what do you all think? Do you combine methods? I own many 4 blocks books and they really frown upon the F & P way, but we are the teachers and have to figure out what works best for our students, right?