How do you do reading?

Today I was at a writing conference...all day long...seriously from 8:00 this morning until 4:00 this evening! It was a long day, and it was freezing in the building so I rode home with the windows up and no air on, my husband thought I was crazy when I came rolling in the drive - it's in the mid 80s outside. Plus the entire conference felt more like a plug for the authors books than a learning session for me :( I was really looking forward to this and I sat through hours of slide after slide of pages from particular books and locations of where to get them :(

There was one bright spot at the very end of the day, It was more reading related than writing but Debbie Diller was there :) She was explaining her literacy workstations and I really loved the videos she showed of how it worked in the classroom - I agreed with what she was saying about how kids can't do centers for an entire 90  minute block, and more than 2 kids in a center is asking for trouble. The problem is now I'm confused, I liked The Daily 5 and I think there are a lot of similarities but I think I like this better, so my question to you is... How do you do reading?
 Literacy Work Stations: Making Centers WorkThe Daily Five
Have you used workstations, or Daily 5. Do you think one works better than the other, have you blended them at all? I would really appreciate any insights you have!

(by the way, Debbie made sure to tell us her book was out 3 years before the Daily 5, and that her editor is also the editor of Daily 5 - I don't think she was really happy about that - she said her editor said that workstations and Daily 5 are the same thing)

I'm headed back tomorrow to hear Katie Wood Ray, Ralph Fletcher, and Debbie again - she's discussing math workstations and I'm pretty excited about hearing what else she has to say!

Thanks in advance for your responses, and Happy Almost Friday :)
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11 comments

  1. I have been at professional development a lot this week! I saw Debbie Diller speak on math work stations earlier this year and plan on implementing them in the fall. I've been using the Daily 5, but I'm curious to see what others have to say about Literacy Work Stations.
    I'll think of you when I'm at my all day conference tomorrow too!
    Cheers,
    Laura
    Mrs. Castro's Class 2nd Grade...Spanglish Style

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  2. I love Debbie Diller! I just got her Math Workstations book in the mail today (even though I teach 4th I think it'll have some good ideas!)

    What if you did a blend of the two...workstations that use part of the Daily 5 components? It's the best of both worlds! I'm excited to do something similar in my classroom this year.

    I hope your workshops tomorrow go better than they did today!

    :) Kaitlyn
    Smiles and Sunshine

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  3. I use both Debbie Diller's Math and Literacy Workstations. I really enjoy them. I am going to check out Daily 5 in a week though at an inservice :)

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  4. I have used a blend of the two. I love the Daily 5, you just have to take what you love about both and mesh them together!

    Megan
    I Teach. What's Your Super Power?

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  5. I love Debbie Diller and have used aspects of her system since I started. I am reading the Daily 5 but I highly doubt I will switch I have a 3 day conference with her at the end of the summer and can't wait!

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  6. I have done Debbie Diller Stations for the last 3 years and feel wore out! I am constantly making/buying things to put into the stations and then I work so hard on them and the kids just look busy... aren't really engaged. I am going with Daily 5 this year and hope to have more success.

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  7. I have read both books and found that work stations got to be tedious and I wasn't helping my students become readers. What I was able to do was take pieces of Debbie Diller's work stations and adapt them to become part of the Work Work piece of Daily 5.

    Laurie
    Chickadee Jubilee

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  8. I own this book and Daily 5 and really love components of both of them! I have always done a blend of both of the two. I like the Daily 5 structure and choice but I also like having kids do center work in pairs (I find they get the most work done and have the least difficulties while doing pair work). Debbie does a great job explaining how she organizes and introduced every work station. I think every one of Debbie's work stations can fall into one of the Daily 5 categories, so you can still make them choices during D5 time.

    ❤-Stephanie
    Falling Into First

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  9. I have used stations for several years in my K classroom and it has gone well. However, I am moving to first this next school year and am planning to take the plunge into the Daily 5. I think it will be more structured for me and the kids. Many of the "station" activities will be able to be used during "Word Work" so I do not feel it is a waste of time that I created all of these things in the past. I am looking forward to giving my students more reading time. I am also currently reading Reading with Meaning. Many of these components will fit nicely with the Daily 5!

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  10. How frustrating to be at a conference and have it mostly be sales pitches...I was at a technology conference earlier this week and one of the sessions I attended was definitely a sales pitch for a particular piece of assistive technology. Disappointing!

    But really cool to see Debbie Diller! I'm interested in how other people answer your question - I am looking at changing my centers around for next year. I do my own hybrid style for literacy but have been looking at both Debbie Diller and Daily 5 as things I could possibly bring in.

    Kara
    Spedventures

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  11. I do a mix of the two. This past year was the first time I've ever been able to make centers work for me. I think it was because I had read Debbie Diller and implemented her suggestions. But I've also been working in Daily 5. I'd like to figure out a mix of the two. It's hard juggling so much though. My kids loved Read to Self and I think it helped them a ton in their reading.
    Ms. Kerri and her Krazy Kindergarten

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