Classroom Management During Guided Reading?

Hey y'all!! Emily here, from Carnes' Corner.  I'm so excited to be here today, and share some of my tips for classroom management during guided reading!

Small group guided reading is SUCH an important time in my classroom.  If we miss a day of school (or go on a field trip), I ALWAYS double up our rotations the next day or later in the week, so that I am able to meet with each group EVERY week!

However, making sure that my students who are NOT in the group with me stay on task is not always easy.  So, what do I do with them to ensure that my reading group is getting my full attention??

The most important thing I did was to establish routine at the very beginning of the year. The kids practiced how to get materials out, how to clean them up, how to ask/answer questions about the activity they're doing, and what to do if they get done early..

We review and go over our procedures and expectations DAILY.  I'm serious y'all...I ask them what voice level they should be using, who they need to ask for help, etc. each time before they go to where they're working...

Here's my view of the other students...I make sure to place myself in the corner of the room, so I can see all of them.  

{work on writing - option one}

Now, I did walk around and take a few close up pictures, so you could see the bit of organized chaos that is Daily Five/Guided Reading...

{listening to reading - you'll see our whisper phones and reading buddies - stuffed animals - under our library if you look closely}

{read to self/read to someone - they get to choose now}

{work on writing - option 2}

I use my Daily Five time to do guided reading groups (and will pull my students individually during literacy centers if needed).  I use the same rotation schedule each week, so the kids know exactly where they're going each day.  I've combined Read to Self/Read to Someone in to one group so that I could take guided reading on my own.  

I've found that by giving them teeny bits of choices (like if they're going to read with a partner/alone or whether they're going to do paper work or the cards on the carpet) they're more involved and engaged in what they're doing because they have a bit more ownership in the activity (or at least they think they do!)

At the end of our 20 minutes, I check any work that I need to, award the friends who went above and beyond what was expected of them, and we move on with our day.  I love it!

All in all, it works really well (most days).  Check out what my classroom sounds like while a student reads to me.  I'm so impressed with my kinders!