Learning communities and Daily 5

As I began to read the article posted for this week's opening activity, it made me start thinking about a new initiative taking place in my school building and several other school buildings around the country. This initiative, known as the Daily 5, isn't a new curriculum, or set of instructional methods. It is rather a new way to engage students through established classroom management and routines.

The focus of the Daily 5 is based on five essential components of literacy independence; Read to Self, Read to Someone, Work on Writing, Word Work, and Listen to Reading. Teachers and students meet for short mini-lessons relating to one of these items during literacy block. They work together to develop the focus skill for the day, what students should be doing, and what the teacher should be doing. At the conclusion of this whole group meeting, students are released to an activity of their choice within the context of the Daily 5. Meanwhile, the teacher calls guided instructional groups or conferences with individual students. In essence, the class works together to establish the purpose of the literacy block each day, and this in turn creates an engaged learning atmosphere for everyone involved.

How does Daily 5 relate to dynamic learning communities? Well, students are making choices and are responsible for practicing skills on their own. This allows the teacher time to work with students on necessary skills and strategies. The Daily 5 classroom is a thriving workplace of students and teachers working together as both learners and facilitators. While the classroom teacher is guiding instruction, students are actively participating in developing the direction of that instruction. I can't think of a better way to demonstrate a dynamic learning community!