Blog Post 4-BCP Comparison

Within my classroom there are many different strategies to classroom talk and managing the classroom and literacy. Each day it varies on how the students respond to the types of management that are put into place based off the attitude of the students. SImilar with BCP one of the assessments that is talked about is one that my students do as well with a slight variation. Currently my teacher and I are working on getting students into their guided reading groups, it is taking longer than expected because of the amount of students and the range of their scores from the previous year that were (sin some cases) falsely recorded. Students are getting into groups and discussing different books that they may be reading at D.E.A.R together. They are allowed to read together and talk if they are quiet. Students do a lot of writing that follows certain books that the students have read or different genre that the students will listen to as the teacher reads it and then write a prompt about it. For example the teacher read a book to the students on Rosa Parks and the students then wrote a biography piece on her, connecting the two.
When it comes to classroom talk in my classroom many of the ideas that are in BCP are very similar if not exactly what is done in my classroom. Getting the students to relate to the stories, asking what they know, what they want to know and what they want to learn. Getting the students to see the three “texts” that help them connect and comprehend with the story. Students are also asked many questions before (sometimes during) and after reading to make sure that students have connected to the text and are getting meaning out of the story and its context. As in BCP talking about selecting a theme that is important for students to connect to and develop and sense of rhythm around a certain topic. As with the same example that is listed above reading each day about different important people that have made a difference in the world and then having the students do certain literacy assignments on non-fiction biographies are a great way for students to see a theme throughout literacy. My teacher explained to me why she selects certain books for a theme because she wants connections to be made between the text and the writing. Many of the books that my teacher picks depends on her feelings on how long the students can sit through the story-depending on its length and if it is to difficult for students to comprehend. Within the book there is talk of the fishbowl style of literacy instruction, I have not yet seen this in my classroom but I heard that is can be a very effective style of literacy instruction.
My teacher has many of her books leveled and placed into categories to help her decide what books are appropriate for each of the guided reading groups and to help students decipher which books they want to chose to read for themselves when preparing for literacy groups.
If I were going to try out some aspects of a book club the support I would need would be first and foremost the students reading levels so I assign the appropriate book for each group. I would need my students to be prepared to understand what a book club entails and how it is going to enhance their reading. I would need support in my questions and comprehending techniques with my students to make sure that all students are reading and comprehending at the level they are supposed to.