Reading content is taught through read-alouds, discussions, and guided and independent practice. Read-alouds include a balance of literary and informational texts and provide students with opportunities to listen to, read, and discuss a variety of genres, such as poems, plays, stories, articles, and narrative non-fiction. A set of grade-appropriate trade books to support read-alouds is provided for each grade level.
Making Meaning includes “Individualized Daily Reading” (IDR) and “Writing About Reading” activities. IDR provides time for students read independently and Writing About Reading allows students to write about what they have read, express opinions and connect content to their own lives.
Social development is addressed through the use of “Cooperative Structures,” such as brainstorming and small group and partner activities. Cooperative experiences teach students to work collaboratively and to treat others with care and respect.
The Center for the Collaborative Classroom is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to providing continuous professional learning for teachers and curricula that support the academic, ethical, and social development of children. The organization brings to bear 51 years of collective experience from two leading educational nonprofit organizations: Developmental Studies Center (DSC) and Cornerstone Literacy, Inc. (CLI).
We believe that how we teach matters as much as what we teach. Our professional development honors all teachers and empowers them to create the conditions for learning that will meet rigorous state standards and nurture the needs of the whole child. Our programs and carefully selected trade books help children appreciate the ideas and opinions of others, learn to agree and disagree respectfully, think critically about big ideas, and become responsible citizens of the world.
*The content in this section is provided by or adapted from the Center for the Collaborative Classroom.
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