A Weekly Schedule

This is my favourite time of year to give PD. Why? Teachers are refreshed and ready to set important routines and foundational practices for the year ahead!

Today I want to suggest a routine for YOU to make planning for language arts significantly easier: make yourself a weekly language arts schedule.

How?

• Consider the forms of writing that students will engage in each week; my suggestions are journal writing, reader response, and freewriting. (The other forms can be tackled throughout the year but they don’t need to be on your weekly schedule.)
• Decide when you are going to add words to your Word Wall and engage in other word study activities during the week.
• If you teach primary, be sure to set aside time for daily phonics instruction and a morning message.

Also consider how the gradual release of responsibility will factor into your week:

• When will you schedule your mini-lessons–the explicit instruction of reading and writing skills? (I tend to schedule a mini-lesson connected to reading on Mondays; later in the week, I schedule one on writing.)
• When will students work in literacy stations–time to practice their skills with their peers and time for you to work with a small group?
• When will you schedule independent practice for students, especially daily independent reading? (More on independent reading next week…)

By establishing a weekly schedule, much of the time you normally invest in planning is done for you. You can then focus more on preparing effective mini-lessons. Both you and your students will become familiar with the routine and know what to expect each week.

See page 33 in this preview of Literacy Leadership Matters for sample weekly schedules.