A strategy for learners at-risk

Catherine Compton-Lilly wrote an inspiring article, Learning About Mason: A Collaborative Lesson With a Struggling Reader, published in the May issue of The Reading Teacher. The article was an explanation of a teacher using the collaborative lesson with a student in her reading class.

A collaborative lesson is one in which a group of teachers work together to help a struggling reader or group of readers. These lessons were initially designed as part of Reading Recovery’s Professional Development training but have since taken on a new form. Once a student has been identified as needing more assistance than a group lesson, teachers come together and problem solve in order to help the struggling student. This strategy is only effective when teachers observe and then discuss teaching strategies that may help. Once teachers have come up with a plan, they test out the strategy intended to help the student become successful. Time after the lesson must be set aside for refection. Discussions as well as educators expertise each teacher can bring to the table is what makes the collaborative lesson work.

There are five steps that are entailed in a collaborative lesson. 1) Observers can be anyone in the building that may be of assistance to this specific problem. 2) The group observes a lesson in which the teacher is working with the student in need. 3) A meeting takes place directly after the lesson. This is time for the teacher to detail the student and identify 2-3 teaching practices that may help the student achieve success. There is a “group leader” identified and he/she will carry out the techniques on the student. 4) The teachers return to the class and the group leader conducts a mini-lesson that incorporates the teaching strategies recommended for the target student. 5) Once again, all of the teacher leave the room to discuss the results from the mini-lesson. The group brainstorms further possibilities to give the teacher an expanded view of the student and a rich set of instructional possibilities.

I feel as if collaborative lessons need to take place more often than they are now. This past school year at my school we had a math lesson in which all teachers on my team came to observe me. The objective was for the other teachers to watch my reading block, specifically my guided reading groups. The purpose was for my team mates to generate ideas about how they can improve their reading groups in their own classroom. We met prior to my reading block so I could inform them of the needs of my students, challenges I had in reading, as well as the overall plan for the block. After the reading block we all reconvened and had a lengthy discussion. This allowed for my team mates to ask questions, comment on what they observed, create ideas to give me feedback and make their guided reading experiences more useful. I opened my doors and removed barriers I may have had related to being observed. I allowed for constructive criticism and my team mates they loved seeing a new set of techniques and ideas. Educators must collaborate and communicate more frequently if they want to see success in their students as well as themselves.