This is an extremely good class discussion. Students engaged, participating, using the text to identify evidence. I liked the hand gestures and excellent behavior. It is very evident that this teacher modeled and taught the students her classroom expectations and discussion rules. The circle on the floor reminds me of my first grade reading circle in 19?? ? I will definitely try to incorporate this into my classes. It’s just hard when they can’t read to use text to identify or find evidence. There is definitely learning going on in this classroom.

I love everything going on in this video from the circle on the floor to the student led discussion. I aspire to have such lessons one day soon where the students allow only one speaker and respond without offending. One where each person's ideas and opinions are valued and heard without being labeled as right or wrong. I've never used the hand signals (other than thumbs up/thumbs down) , but I want to incorporate this into my classroom. I also want to use the circle more than just for a read aloud. I love that there is always new strategies and techniques to learn and use in order to grow and improve and learn.

Yes! Yes! Yes! This is great! This did not happen over night. It took a lot of repeated modeling. The teacher has placed herself in the group as a learner as well. (Like Teish, Lisa, and I modeled) you can tell that the students value reading and discussion. This doesn’t happen over night either...YOU, as the teacher, must create it in your classroom! I love that the students are out of their desks and in a circle on the floor with books sprawled everywhere! What do you do as a reader when you’ve read a good book or something that interests you? You TALK about it- you share your thinking with others. We should be creating this culture of discussion and thinking in our classrooms. To do this, it starts with us, as the teacher. Your classroom culture is a reflection of what you’ve put into it. What do you value as a learner? Put that into place in your classroom. Model and practice over and over (everything from how to sit, how to move to the floor and back, how to talk to each other, how to use talk moves/silent signals, how to treat the books) This CAN happen in our classrooms! We just have to take the time to get our students to buy in to the value of reading and discussion. Let them know that their thinking is valued. Deliberately plan activities like this to show them that reading is purposeful and fulfilling...it’s not done just to answer questions or take a test. There is so much more to reading! I hope to see you trying this out in your classrooms!