Guided Reading- I love it- and hate it all in the same breath! Let me explain, I love its ability to differentiate reading for my students. I love that it gives me EYEBALL time with students. I love that I feel like a SUPER teacher when I’m just teaching 3-5 students. However, it is not easy.
I hate that there are so many groups- too many to see all in one day. I also hate that kids move from group to group so often. I know that means my teaching is working, but it makes my grouping paper look like THIS! I like things neat and orderly… and this… this is ugly!
I would make a new sheet every week it seemed! I just couldn’t handle it not being neat and pretty. I was explaining that to a group of teachers at a training a few years ago. I told them that it drove me crazy, but if you wanted “proof” that your teaching was working, it would be to keep a folder of all the sheets like these where you have scratched and added kids to different groups. That’s the proof that your teaching at the table is working.
After the training, a teacher came up to me and what she shared with me, changed my Guided Reading LIFE. I’m serious! It changed my LIFE!
Ta-da! Guided Reading Grouping Folders! The picture below is one a teacher made in MY training now that I have started sharing that teacher’s idea with the world!
It’s a simple file folder (go ahead and get a cute decorated one if you wish) and it has white Avery labels- I would have 8 labels in case you ever had 8 groups! Leave yourself the option. Now LAMINATE! After it is laminated, you can write groups/levels on the labels and wipe them off as they change throughout the year.
Then of course the velcro- put 5 velcro pieces under each label- groups in guided reading are 3-5- trying to teach more than five is nearly impossible. This teacher used student pictures, my folder just had student names. Now, when kids have to change groups, it stays nice and pretty! TA-DA!
Don’t you just love this?
I went ahead and designed a cover for the front of the folder. You can get it FREE in my TPT Store.
If you download, please also take a second to follow my store! You won’t want to miss the next freebie and the next… and the next…
This is one of my favorite ways to keep my groups straight. Here is another trick I use with mine. I use the small sticky notes with kids names on them and move them from group to group as needed. It saved my OCD need for neatness.
~Kara