being a green zone partner

 

Being a reading partner in the green zone means sharing interesting parts in books, connecting, and reflecting. 

Being a reading partner in the green zone means being actively engaged in reading and book conversations with your partner.

This week, we discussed successful partnerships and together thought about what it means to be a green zone partner. I asked the children, What zone were you in during reading workshop today? What zone were you in as a partner? Children were honest. Some shared that they were a little in the yellow zone. They noticed that when they got silly, their partner got silly. We discussed how the choices you make as a partner influence the learning of your peer - in a partnership, you have the power to help. You can make the choice to help another friend's learning. 

While the focus of our workshop was on working in partnerships to reread favorite storybooks, making our reading stronger and stronger, our conversations became about something deeper; the power in your choices as a partner, as a peer, and as a community member. 


In the below photographs, one partnership works together to read a favorite storybook. They support one another - pointing to words and pictures as they read the story, seeming to effortlessly take turns in the reading of each page. We end our workshop with a share. JF and DM read their storybook to the class. At the end, we discuss how JF and DM worked together. I ask how they felt during our workshop. Both children excitedly exclaim, We were in the green zone, it felt good!