So, I am really excited to see that the authors followed up their "theory" book,
The Daily 5, with an application that tells teachers "how" to make this work.
C=Comprehension
A=Accuracy
F=Fluency
E=Expand Vocabulary
Can you visualize what each part of CAFE looks like in your PK-5, Special Ed, Core, or Title classroom?
Have you been able to integrate your reading assessment data into your instruction? I think this is where we lose momentum at times. We learn something new, we know we need to use it, we know the data shows areas of concern, but we struggle to find ways to match the strengths/goals of each child with the assessment data and our daily lesson objectives.
Here are my thoughts on their 4 "core" elements they note on p.6-7:
1.Would it help if we all had the "same" notebook set up for TJ to use in each classroom? It would include the forms, calendar, and templates. Maybe that is an idea to start for August?
2. I LOVE the idea of students setting reading goals for daily or weekly work. Are any of you doing that? Thoughts? Goals lead to accountability. What gets monitored gets done.
3. All of you use guided reading groups. Are any of you creating these groups based on CAFE needs, not guided reading levels (all the 14s in one group, all the 20s in another group)?
4. Is your whole group instruction based on what you pick up in conferences and guided reading groups as skills that all or most of the kids need? Or is your whole group instruction driven by the district "plan"?
The thought from Chapter 1 that has me doing a lot of thinking.....
"The more effective classrooms have a distribution of whole-class, small-group, and side-by-side instruction. The more whole-class teaching offered, the lower the academic achievement in any school."
Wow, powerful.......
OK, so one more thought that made me go hmmmmm.....
"no negative impact for assigning the best readers more student-directed work" and "we no longer have to fret about meeting with each and every child one-on-one each day"
What does this mean for above grade level student readers?
www.thedailycafe.com