Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of the Reader’s Workshop model I love so dearly…a bit of background. My classroom is a place where students learn from hands-on experience, explore their interests, converse, make mistakes and problem solve. I love to equip my third graders with tools that help them become independent learners in and out of the classroom. Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer validates all of these aspects of teaching in relation to reading instruction. Her words and experience boost my confidence in justifying the learning my students and I gain from our Reader’s Workshop experience each day. Prior to reading Miller’s book, my master plan for Reader’s Workshop was filled with units and mini lessons that covered every state standard. Teaching reading skills and strategies is undoubtedly essential to reading instruction.  Therefore, I use structures like close reading and literature circles during our RTI reading block in the mornings to ensure

One of the most difficult challenges in my first years of teaching was making the most of my Reader’s Workshop block. Finding a balance between teaching students reading skills tailored to their individual needs, giving students a solid block of reading time, conferring with students about their reading progress and holding students accountable for reading quality “just right books” was something I valued but could not efficiently manage for the life of me. I read countless books and blog posts about experts and professionals who had it all down to a science. I followed their recipes and had days where the mini lesson went smoothly but the conferring was inefficient and vice versa. One day I were perusing through the book fair after one of my parent-teacher conferences and stumbled upon my saving grace… another book about teaching reading. 🙂 But this one was far different from any other I