Readers Workshop Mini Lesson/Conferencing Observation

Teacher’s Name_______________________
Cameron Wright 5-3 Teaching Point Visualizing
● Book a spot on the spreadsheet in the appraisal folder called ​Readers Workshop Mini Lesson
Appraisal Sign Up - May/June
● 40 mins max
● Reader’s Workshop Mini Lesson ​ONLY
● No lesson plan please. I don’t want any prior knowledge (try and engage me and wow me)
● The checklist below is the only thing I will use to appraise you ​(read it very carefully).
● I will video the mini lesson and the conference and place it in your personal folder.
● After your lesson, watch the video come and visit me to get your result and some feedforward.
● If you have prior questions please ask.

Check List YES ✓ NO ✓

● Pie chart not made
Start of the Lesson: ● Teacher borrows someone else’s anchor
References chart instead of making their own
Readers Workshop ● Teacher doesn’t refer to the chart at any
point in the lesson
Chart
✔
● (charts can be different)
● Pie Chart is made, mentions part of the
workshop process before students
transition to the floor or before starting the
mini lesson

References ● Teacher refers to pre-made anchor-charts ● Anchor charts not made or teacher forgets
What Good Readers to remind students about ​what good to remind students
Do readers do (anytime during the mini ● Teacher borrows someone else’s anchor
lesson) chart instead of making their own
● (charts can be ✔ ● Teacher doesn’t refer to the chart at any
different) point in the lesson

Pacing 8-15 ● Stayed within the ​8-15​ minute time ● Pacing is too short (under 8 mins) or too
minutes allocation 14:30 ✔ long (goes over 15 mins)

Pacing support ● Teacher ​CLEARLY​ uses a timing device ● No timing device used
(watch, clock​, timer on the board​) to ✔
monitor pacing

Mini Lesson taught ● Teacher can utilize the board ​before the ● Relies too heavily on the board to teach the
without the mini lesson begins, and after it’s lesson.
finished ● Students sitting at desks
SMART/LED Board
● Mini lesson taught with students seated on ✔
the floor using anchor chart paper to
support modeling and examples

● Components are ​missed or not clear, or

● All four​ components are ​CLEARLY out of order
addressed ​in order. ● There is ​more​ than one teaching point
Mini Lesson ● 1) Connection
Components ●
●
2) Teaching point,
3) Active-engagement
✔
● 4) Link
● There is only​ ​one focused simple
teaching point
 Mini Lesson ● Evidence of the teacher using a reminder ● No evidence of support to ensure
Components cue on the ​chart paper ​to ensure they hit components are hit
Support each component. ​Example. The word ✔
connection could be written on the corner
of the chart paper

Explicit Teaching ● Teacher does not take questions at ● Too many interruptions, allows questions at
Time during 8-15 inappropriate times or allow major
interruptions
✔ inappropriate times
Minutes

Modeling during ● Teacher clearly models an example of the ● Teacher does not model the teaching point
8-15mins teaching point-uses an ​ACTUAL TEXT ● Or uses the SMARTboard to show text.
(real book), not a text on the SMARTboard ✔
to show the strategy in action

Workshop ● Teacher gives explicit instructions ● No preventative language used.

Language-Mini explaining what students should be ​doing ● Students interrupt conferences because
Lesson close during independent reading time, This they weren’t given explicit instructions
is done BEFORE​ they transition back to ✔
the desks
● Students know what they are doing and
do not​ interrupt one on one conferences

Transition to ● 2 mins and under to have students back at
independent time tables ( if coming from the floor-preferred)
and beginning work
● Appropriate transition noise
● Teacher plans ahead, has students bring
appropriate books to the floor or table,
before the lesson begins
● Over 2 mins to have students back at tables
( if coming from the floor-preferred) and
beginning work
✔ ● Inappropriate transition noise
● Teacher didn’t plan ahead, students didn’t
bring appropriate books to the floor or table,
before the lesson begins

One student ● Simple non invasive conferencing call up ● Has no conferencing call system or a
Conference system system that is too loud
● NO DIRECTOR CLUES for this section
Only
other than use the reading folder. I ✔
6:00 want to see how you are doing your
conferences without support.

Reading Folder ● Teachers brings Reading Conference ● Forgets to bring Reading Conference
Tracking Assessment folder to the appraisal review Assessment folder to the appraisal review
meeting meeting
● Clear evidence the teacher is tracking the ● Little evidence that the teacher is tracking
students Fountas and Pinnell levels as ✔ the students Fountas and Pinnell levels as
requested requested
● Can explain their process ● Can’t explain their process

Outstanding Proficient Basic Unsatisfactory

Exceeds Expectations Meets All Expectations Meets Most Expectations Falls short of Expectations

13 Yes Boxes Ticked 12/11 Yes Boxes Ticked ✔ 10/9 Yes Boxes Ticked 8/7 Yes Boxes Ticked

Start of the Lesson:References Readers Workshop Chart: Chart posted next to the board, referenced the 2nd RW for the week and that the mini lesson was about to start
References What Good Readers Do: Excellent use of what good readers do anchor chart-over time adding in the mini lesson strategies to build a profile of what good readers do-great
Pacing 8-15 minutes/Pacing support: about 15mins (just under) used the computer timer to monitor pacing
Mini Lesson taught without the SMART/LED Board: Briefly utilized the board to get the mini lesson started, after that did not rely on the board at all. The modeling phase took place using anchor chart
paper. Students were at tables during the mini lesson ( floor was preferred on the checklist). The floor creates a different mind-set for the students, they know it's mini lesson time.
Mini Lesson Components: address in the correct order:
Connection: we have been working on thick and thin questions, here is another strategy that can help us understand what we are reading
Teaching point and Modeling: visualizing: clearly modeled the movie in his head relating to the read aloud sentence from chapter 5 in Because of Winn Dixie-identified key words that helped shape the
movie in his head (pinched, smelling) and showed what pinched looked like with his face before drawing what he saw in his head. Made it clear to the students that the drawing wasn't important, rather,
that by visualizing he was able to understand what the sentence was saying.
Active engagement: turn and talk: what else did you visualize from the audio you heard? Teachers checked in to hear what the student were saying and briefly asked why it is helpful to visualize? You
can replay the scene over and over until it makes sense.
Link: could be clearer; for the final link utilize the language "today and everyday one thing you could do...when you are silent reading stop and think about the movie in your head/ don't forget you could
also...look for the words that can help you form a better image of what the author is saying.
Mini Lesson Components Support: not overly required as the teacher was confident in hitting the components: did have the active engagement drill on the board for kids to see.
Explicit Teaching Time during 8-15 Minutes: asked the occasional question didn't allow students to interrupt
Workshop Language-Mini Lesson close: clear instructions outlining what students should be during independent reading time: from you book choose three sentences and explain and draw what you
see and how it helps you understand what is actually going on in the story.
Transition to independent time: not an issue, students materials prepared in advance: light music in the background to support independent reading climate

To work on: Try to use more Calkin's language to introduce each component of the mini lesson. Example Link: "today and everyday one thing you could do..." Teaching Point Demo: did you see how
I..." Try doing the mini lesson on the floor (I know the room is small) but it creates a different atmosphere with the students being closer to you, and you can sit down, a bit like a teacher read aloud on
the mat. You'll see a different. Embrace the challenge of differentiating in any way you can, ask yourself how do you know the student got 'it'? If not, what strategy can I use to help them get 'it.'

Conference: simple call up system on the board (not evasive). Conference focus was working on retell. Be careful of two many yes or no questions, look for opportunities to delve into other strategies
taught using questions. Example prediction- "I know you haven't read to far, but what do you think might happen, based on what you know so far?" You said you are enjoying this book so far, why are
you enjoying it so much? We want the students talking a lot during the conference to really show case what they are comprehending. You'll be amazed at how many indicators you hit on the reading
profile page when this happens. Identified the next teaching point to see if the student could discover the authors message; gave examples to help the student understand what that meant: is the
author asking you to be kind or smart, what is the author trying to teach you? Recorded next mini goal for the next conference and asked about today's mini lesson topic if the student needed any help.
Ensure the student has recorded the next goal, so they remember to practice before the next conference. Remind the individual this is what good readers do...

Overall: You have a real and important presence in the room. The students enjoy listening to you and appreciate the timing of your humour. You clearly read the check list and have a good grasp on
the mini lesson RW model. Do push your boundaries when conferring, don't be afraid to explore paths that students take you down when they talk about their book. Continue to refine the RW model,
the more you do it, the better and faster you'll become which will create more independent reading and conference time. This, will in turn allow you to differentiate which is a significant skill to develop
as a teacher.