[ellen]

Okay, so I am doing work stations this year (Debbie Diller style). I've introduced four- writing, independent reading, computer, spelling) and will introduce one or two more. We've practice rotating (in groups of four). But now I have question- I'm going to put them in partners, but I'm not sure how I should rotate my students. I'm going to pull reading groups during that time (1 group per rotation, 2 rotations today). So, what do I do? Should I just call groups and leave one person in a station, put partners together that will be in same group, etc?

I am so confused. I thought through what I wanted them to do at each station but I dind't think about rotations. I would appreciate any and all help!!!!

[kali]

Could you stay with groups during reading workshop and have the students grouped as reading groups. That would make it easier for you to plan and get your groups in. Sometimes staying simple makes life a lot easier. I like the idea of pairs but that is more maintance, planning, and managment, and that might take away your focus off the important guided reading time.
Let us know what works!

[audriana]

I just saw Debbie Diller yesterday. She is fantabulous!

Okay so this is my plan. She says to keep children in pairs of similar abitilites. So my students in my average ability group will be paired up, lows will be paired up and highs will be paired up. That way when I call a group it will not interfere with my workstation groups.

They way I am setting up my workboard, I will just slide my two icons down to the next pair of students, so management of the workstations shouldn't be an issue. (We have such limited time for writing, my kids will all have to go to the writing station at least twice a week.)

I loved her inservice. I had been struggling all summer trying to figure out how I was going to be able to implement a Readers Workshop model and still use literacy workstations.


Good luck with your workstations!