CADET Time...What is That? Focus on Fluency Last Week

Teachers spend a lot of time analyzing data, working with students in small groups, large groups or independently, and making observations.  This information is used to make decisions on what are each child's strengths and weaknesses.  We all learn at different paces and can't expect to be taught everything the same way and the same time.  This is why the district has created "Cadet Time".

Cadet Time is a 30 minute period of the day where teachers use data and observations to target and work with students in the areas they demonstrate a need in reading.  This can be a specific skill or strategy.  In the past, students in all classrooms moved between teachers as each teacher focused on a different skill/strategy.  We will not be doing that this year, but I will be using the idea of Cadet Time to build student's strengths and weaknesses.  If you think about it, that is what an educator should be doing all day anyway.  Right?

Through observation and assessments, a lot of 3B students have shown they struggle with reading fluency.  Last week during Cadet Time, I introduced a procedure revolving around building fluency and recording words per minute throughout the week for one passage.  I introduced it to all students, so they know the routine, but starting this week only students struggling with fluency will work on the passages.  The routine goes something like this:

1.  Students are given a passage.  They practice reading the passage with a whisper voice and highlight words they are unsure of or struggle with.  They can also write questions on the side about the reading (this will be introduced this week). 

2.  Teacher discusses passage with students.  Students share words highlighted and the group discusses the meaning of those words and how we can use accuracy strategies to determine those words and their meanings.  The teacher also orally reads through the passage out loud.

3.  Students have a partner who times them and records how many words per minute their partner gets.

4.  Students practice whisper reading the passage again for 3-5 minutes

5.  Students get with their partner and again read the passage, recording their words per minute.

6.  If we have time, students practice choral reading the passage with their partner and discuss the meaning behind the passage.

We use the same passage all week, focusing on the idea that repeated readings help build fluency and accuracy when reading. 

I will be sending out information asking for parent volunteers during Cadet Time.  Look for that to come out this week.  Due to the varying levels and needs of students, it would be nice to have some parent volunteers to help out.  

To kick off our work on fluency, students read silly poems with partners and practice "reading the punctuation" to present their poem choice to the class.  Super fun!