Coach: Tiffany King, Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies Adaptable for grade levels: 3-8 Key Subject Area(s): Language Arts
Study Group Teaching Method Description:
Improve student learning and engagement when you implement Taffy Raphael’s Book Club. Book Club allows children to read novels in small groups while integrating all the crucial components of a successful literacy program: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Each teacher will learn how to run their own Book Club while simultaneously participating in this Study Group one!
Book Club begins with the teacher giving instruction to the whole group, then moving to small group work, and finally back to a whole group lesson as closure. This strategy offers the teacher an opportunity to model skills, offers children an opportunity to practice skills, and then provides an opportunity for the teacher to check for understanding and mastery, which ultimately constructs a framework for the next Book Club lesson. The members of this Study Group will acquire strong class management skills, will learn how to design mini-lessons, will find effective ways of assessing students’ oral and written work, and finally will see the importance of helping children establish a meaningful reading-writing connection.
Illinois State Standards and Benchmarks:
Fine Arts Goal 25: Know the language of the arts Fine Arts Goal 26: Through creating and performing, understand how works of art are produced Social-Emotional Learning Goal 1: Develop self-awareness and self-management skills to achieve school and life success Social-Emotional Learning Goal 2: Use social awareness and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain positive relationships
About the Coach:
This is Tiffany King’s second year leading a CFE Study Group. Tiffany has been teaching eight years and currently teaches eighth grade Language Arts at Peirce School of International Studies. Tiffany is Nationally Board Certified and holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Her extensive leadership experiences include running the entire athletic department (of eleven teams!) at her school, mentoring National Board candidates, and receiving a number of grants through Donors Choose and CFE.
Meeting Times:
The Study Group meeting schedules are determined together at the Study Group Program Kick-Off Dinner on Thursday, June 4, 2009.
