Daily 5 Chapter 2 - link up!

I love the daily five and I love how my firsties the past two years really embraced it and LOVED it.

So, now we're onto chapter two.

Here are my reflections:

1.Do you trust your students? How do you build this trust? Are you able to trust them and allow them to be independent throughout all aspects of the day? Are you going to be able to stay out of their way?

Okay.  I do trust the majority of my students (well...have...the year IS over!!).  Trust is built from day one in the classroom based on their ability to make good choices! :)  Plain and simple.  With all the role modeling, practicing, and repetition, it's usually easy for them to build a trusting bond.

When I first started implementing the Daily Five I was TERRIFIED to let them make all their own learning choices and really relinquish control to them, however, after having done it successfully for two years there's no other way I would do it.  By creating an environment where there is trust and responsibility the kiddos really rise to the occasion.  It's also not just thrown all at them at once but practiced in increments until they have built up stamina (part of showing you that you can trust them to make good independent learning choices).

2. How much choice do you give your students throughout the day?  Do you go over your daily schedule with the students or is it just posted on the wall?

 First, I do allow students to make their own learning choice, within reason.  As you will learn through reading the book and implementing the Daily Five, giving students only a FEW choices in each daily five component (especially in word study and work on writing) helps to keep them focused and working the entire time.  If you have TOO many choices, for instance in word study, it's easy for the kids to find themselves off-task.  I give my students options.  In word study they have at least one "have to" (an activity that they MUST complete first...this is where I put all those fun literacy activities that I snag from blogs).  When they're finished with their "have-to" they can then chose one of the three "want-to's."  These are other literacy games/activities that are more for continued review of certain concepts, etc...

Secondly, my daily schedule {OBJECTIVES} are posted on my front board.  I do go over my objectives in the morning with the kiddos to give them a heads up of what kind of fun activities we're going to be doing.  Then, during each part of our day I redirect them to the objective and we discuss why it's important to be learning about that certain topic/objective.  This sets up an importance to why they are learning that concept.  Gives the lesson more purpose!

3. How are you going to establish a sense of community where students will hold each other accountable?

While implementing Daily Five in first grade,  establishing a sense of community was done at the very beginning of the year.  We talked about accountability when we were learning about each component of the daily five, as well as when we were learning about being "peacekeepers." (Cara from First Grade Parade made a cute mini-unit on this topic...perfect for creating community)  By telling the kids that they were responsible for their own learning at this time, they seemed to take it "seriously." Meaning, they were always on-task and those times when others became off-task, there was always someone near them to redirect them back to doing what they were suppose to be doing.  It's really amazing to watch the kids take ownership, responsibility, and independence in their own learning.  I had several students this year who were constantly trying to distract others, and very RARELY did I have to intervene.  The kids handled it on their own and I continued with my conferencing.  That's why I love the Daily Five SOOOO much!:)

4. Student ownership in learning.  How do you instill this?

Read above and implement the daily five as suggested in the book.  Remind them often who is responsible for their learning. 

5. Stamina!  How are you going to build this?

Simply follow the books outline.  Seriously.  They wrote it out for you for a reason.  If your students aren't able to sustain stamina for as long as you would like that day, immediately ring the chimes and bring them back in.  They're not ready.  Try the next day.

Some of these questions are too premature.  After reading the book you will have a full understanding of most of these questions, however, some ladies have already posted some great advice so be sure to check it out and link up at Caitlyn's blog! :)

     While you're here, make sure to enter my big GIVEAWAY:

scroll down to my previous post to enter!!!

Kelly :)