[MOSAIC] Beginning Reader's Workshop

[Amy Malone]

Hello!!  I just got back from the most AMAZING week - I attended the Reader's Workshop Winter Institute at Teacher's College at Columbia University in NYC.  I am beyond excited by what I learned there, and at the same time, I'm completely overwhelmed.  This is my second year teaching, and while I've had some introduction into Reader's Workshop, I'm certainly not what you could call well-versed in it, even after the four-day institute.  I have a lot more questions than answers right now, in fact.  :)
   
  I really want to begin implementing Reader's Workshop in my classroom, but I'm not sure where to start.  I also have the additional hurdle of my district's imposed reading curriculum.  This year, our newly-hired superintendent mandated that all schools would use the Success for All (SFA) curriculum.  I've been using it since it was introduced, and I can see it's merits, but I really feel like Reading and Writing Workshops would be more effective and promote deeper thinking by my students.  
   
  My problem, I guess, is the same as all teachers':  time.  The first 90 minutes of my day is dedicated to SFA.  After SFA, we are required to spend 80 minutes teaching math.  Fortunately, we teach Investigations.  :)  We are also required to spend 30-45 minutes teaching test strategies (our high-stakes test is coming up soon), and my students have ballroom dance lessons once a week for an hour.  With lunch, recess, and support (aka specials, prep, plan, etc.), that doesn't leave much time even for the other core subjects writing included, since the writing component of SFA is really in support of the reading, rather than focusing on writing quality.  
   
  I guess my question to the group is:  Where do I begin to implement Reader's Workshop, and how do I squeeze it in???  Should I focus on just one part, like the read-aloud?  I might be able to fit 20-30 minutes of Read-Aloud into my day most days.  I'm pretty sure I don't have the 90 minutes I need to do a full-blown Reader's Workshop without giving up Social Studies and Science (which are in jeaportdy even now).
   
  Thank you in advance for any suggestions!!!
  Amy - 5th Grade

 
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