Strength Training

May 23, 2014

I have learned more about baseball in the last few months than I ever thought possible. As the mother of an eight-year-old boy, I have readily accepted my new position as No. 1 fan and cheerleader of his traveling baseball team. Watching him play a double header each Saturday is enjoyable, but even better than that is observing him as he develops his skills as a player. The work he does weekly at practice does not go unnoticed as I see his improvement and increased confidence each game.

Hitting, catching, throwing, running, sliding, fielding—all of these are important skills for a well-rounded baseball player. They are skills that must be practiced and refined as children learn the fundamentals of the sport and strengthen their abilities. These skills are what baseball coaches would say are "non-negotiable." You simply can't have a well-rounded baseball player who is missing one of these skills.

Just like there are non-negotiables in baseball, there are non-negotiables in Daily 5. To have a successful Daily 5 classroom, there are certain components that simply can't be altered or negated. Think about your Daily 5 classroom. Which of the following essential components of Daily 5 are enforced? Which component(s) will you need to study and practice to strengthen your instruction?

• Choice—Students choose what to read, what to write about, where to sit, and which Daily to work on each round.

• Self-selected, good-fit books—Using "I PICK", students read from books they can read and comprehend that match their purpose and interest.

• Brain and body breaks—Brain research has concluded that learners can maintain attention to direct instruction for the number of minutes that correlates to their age. Lessons in the gathering area should be brief, followed by a round of Daily 5, providing necessary brain and body breaks for learners.

• Anchor charts—Created with the students, anchor chartsanchor student learning to a place where information will be posted for reference throughout the year.

• 10 steps to independence—These steps are essential in creating independent readers and writers. Each of the 10 steps plays a role in the success of Daily 5.

As baseball season progresses, my son's team continues to practice essential skills. I encourage you to do the same. Reflect on these essential components of Daily 5. What are your strengths? Where do you find room for improvement? Use this reflection as you begin to set your goals and plan for Daily 5 next year.