Bondurant-Farrar Community Schools

Artifact
Artifact Title: Small Reading Groups
Portfolio Author: Christina Cornia
Date: October 27, 2015
Iowa Teaching Standard 1 Demonstrates ability to enhance academic performance and support for
implementation of the school districts student achievement goals.
a.
b.
c.
d.

Provides evidence of student learning to students, families, and staff.

Implements strategies supporting student, building, and district goals.
Uses student performance data as a guide for decision-making.
Accepts and demonstrates responsibility for creating a classroom culture that supports the learning
of every student.
e. Creates an environment of mutual respect, rapport, and fairness.
f. Participants in and contributes to a school culture that focuses on improved student learning.
g. Communicates with students, families, colleagues, and communities effectively and accurately.

I chose this artifact to show:

X strength and competency in this standard
Evidence to support attainment of this standard:
Description of artifact and how the artifact meets the standard:
Each day I spend 30-45 minutes meeting with students in a small reading group. I formed these groups based
on the fall aReading scores. The aReading test assesses several components of understanding in literacy. One
group I have is of my students who fell below the fall benchmark, but do not receive special education services.
I meet with this group twice a week for 15-30 minutes. One of the days we meet we read a skill building
passage and answer comprehension questions that match the passage. Each week I choose a passage that
aligns with the comprehension skill/strategy with our weekly story in the Journeys curriculum. As we work
through the passage we discuss the strategy. On the second day we meet, we discuss the assigned reading for
their literature circle. The second group I meet with is a group of five students who were above the fall
benchmark. The members of this group are above the winter benchmark as well. This group I only meet with
once a week for thirty minutes. I also do the skill building practice with this group. I found that all of my
students benefit from this practice. Again this group also has a literature circle so we discuss what has been
happening in the reading assignment, discuss the next reading assignment, and if we have time we begin
reading together. The third group I meet with is above the fall benchmark for aReading, but the majority is not
above the winter benchmark. I follow the same routine with this group as the second group. This group
definitely benefits from the extra practice with a skill as well. The final group I meet with is my special
education students. I work through the skill building passage at a slower pace with this group. This group
needs more prompting and assistance to work through the passage.
Reflection on artifact:
I have found that the students really enjoy the literature circles. All of my students who participate in a
literature circle are excited to read their chosen book and also to meet with me to share what theyve read.
Often times the groups are asking if they can read more chapters than originally assigned. The positive attitude
and responses I have received from students prompts me to continue this literature circles. I have seen
literature circles used in other classrooms for higher level students; however I use them with almost all of my
students at varying levels. I may have to do more scaffolding or discussion with some groups, but they all enjoy
this and are encouraged to read.
One thing I would like to do to make my small groups better is to expand on the weekly skill. The skill building
passages work, but I feel I could make skill practice more effective. I would like to work towards implementing
the skill into the weekly lit circle assigned reading. I feel it would be more meaningful to incorporate the skill
into a text the students enjoy and to which the students can relate.