Describe Yourself Based on Your Partner

What does the person I paired you with say about you?

Students in Reading Workshop are constantly working in pairs, and small groups.  Almost every project has at least one part that requires teamwork.   Sometimes this might be a brainstorming session.  Other times partnership might be for revising and editing a piece of writing.  Frequently it is just a couple of minutes to share ideas.

Although occasionally students are paired randomly, most of the time partnerships and teams are put together in a way to ensure success.  

Reasons students are partnered might include:

• A strong-minded uncompromising student is put with a similar student just to force both to work together to be successful.  
• Quiet, easy going students are put together to build leadership skills.
• Students strong in a certain area are paired with a student that is struggling.
• Students struggling might be partnered to work through troubles together.
• Students that don't care are partnered to force them to deal with common attitudes.
• Natural leaders are grouped in situations that allow them to utilize their strength.
• Creative students are placed together to stretch their limits.
• Creative students are separated to allow leadership and growth.
• Boys and girls are partnered so that differences in thought processes can increase chances of success.
• Reluctant learners are joined with enthusiastic students to motivate them.
• Enthusiastic students are partnered to allow them the chance to immerse themselves in a project.
• Friends are put together just so they can be with each other.
• Students that are not friends are put together to help expand their circles.

These are just some of the reasons students work together.  Regardless of the reason, working together and the cooperation this demands is an extremely important skill.  How students deal with a partner, or contribute to a group is always reflective of their attitude and work ethic.

What kind of a partner are you?  Describe yourself based on your partner.

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Read Aloud to Revise

Kara M. said, "When you go through your essay, you see it like you think it's supposed to be. When you read it aloud, you find the mistakes." Her experience with reading her letter aloud today showed why students learned this writing tool.

As explained in the Reading Workshop Notes:

Reading Aloud to Revise

To revise your content, read an essay aloud. Have the listener alert you at any time when your writing does not make sense, or they have a question. Highlight that part, and after you are finished, go back and rewrite. Then read aloud again to a different person. Repeat the process until your essay is easy to understand and interesting to read.

For this to work, the listener must be actively involved, and not afraid to speak up whenever the essay does not make sense, or has grammatical errors. He must also listen for pauses, and be sure appropriate punctuation is included.