[Ihrtschool]

Please help! Our school is looking to adopt a new reading series for next year and our staff is split between Reading Street and Journeys. I am wondering a few things:

1) Which series do you use and how do you like it?

2) Do any of your schools use separate series within the elementary? For example, K-2 use Reading Street and 3-5 or 6 use Journeys?

3) Do you use a separate series for Spelling, or do you incorporate that with Reading?

Thank you SO much for your help!!! Our time to decide is running out!

[edistonian]

Our district is adopting a new curriculum also. We were split too, but I think we are going with Journeys. I would love to hear from someone who has taught Journeys. Do you like it? TIA

[SleepEatTeach]

1) Which series do you use and how do you like it? This is our first year using Journeys. I do not like it.

2) Do any of your schools use separate series within the elementary? For example, K-2 use Reading Street and 3-5 or 6 use Journeys? Same reading series K - 5.

3) Do you use a separate series for Spelling, or do you incorporate that with Reading? The spelling is part of the reading series in Journeys.

We were in your exact position last year. Deciding between Journeys and Reading Street. I am completely overwhelmed with Journeys. I know this is probably true of any new reading series you get. Journeys is fairly new and there really is not a lot of information about it out there. There is way more stuff than you could ever possibly teach. I have to pick and choose and feel like sometimes I have to leave things out that I don't want to. The series is based on small group instruction, which I like. I do very little whole group reading instruction. I'm hoping next year I can get a better handle on it. Maybe then I will like it more.

[hand]

Our second year with Journeys. Really struggled with it last year, however, this year it is much better. I do like the leveled readers that match the story. My team plans together, so we pick and choose the activities that work best for our groups. Can't do it all, but I have to say that this year our students have been successful with the program.

[kckrzy]

Reading Street. We piloted both series last year and went with Reading Street. The stories in RS were better and held the kids' attention better. We use the spelling that is in RS and like it. We visited with teachers that had gone with Journeys and they told us that they had to pull lots of outside resources to supplement and that it didn't hold the the kids attention. RS has lots of extra activities including the online part that was a huge selling point for us. The kids can take the weekly tests online, play games to reinforce the vocabulary and has concept and language videos that are awesome. We use this series in preschool through 5th grade.