Guided Reading & Balanced Literacy...What do YOU DO??

Out of all of the subjects I teach in 2nd grade, I have to say that my strongest subject is Math and next is Science.  Maybe because they are the most interesting to me and I can get really enthusiastic about it.  The ELAR block is my least favorite and so I am always trying to work on making it more interesting to me.  I just can't ever get a "flow" going.  I stress out a bit because I know that this is the most important subject at this age.  My students always show a lot of growth and they do very well on their district assessments.  I can get my students where they need to be and get them to really love reading.  I LOVE read alouds and all the modeling of what a good reader should do.  I love talking to the students about what they're reading and why they chose that book.  I love doing all kinds of fun Reading Response activities that go along with the books we read.  BUT.....and this is a HUGE BUT...I get so bored with the direct teaching of strategies, the word work, the phonics, and the writing.  Probably bored with it because I'v never really been taught the strategies that I need to teach.  ANYWAY......because of my lack of interest, every summer I venture out and try to find some book or workshop that will get me excited about TEACHING reading.  I think that if I can get my students a little above where they should be by the end of 2nd grade, imagine where they could go if I was excited and had self-confidence that what I was teaching them was exactly what they need.  Self-confidence--that's the word I was looking for.  Not so much "BOREDOM" or "LACK OF INTEREST", but self-confidence is what I'm lacking when it comes to the Reading/LA block.

I need a routine that flows.  It needs to be a routine that I'm happy with and fits my style.  I've started the Daily 5 and the Cafe books two summers in a row, but never really finished.  This summer I am reading
Balanced Literacy Essentials by Parr and Campbell and Guiding Readers by Lori J. Rog.  I've also been chosen to preview The Primary Comprehension Toolkit by Harvey & Goudvis for grades K-2.  To top it all off I was also chosen to go to a workshop at the beginning of August for Balanced Literacy and C-scope (which is the curriculum my district & state use).

So...What do you do during your Lit block?  What does your routine look like?  Having you taken pieces of different ideas?  What have you done to "further" yourself with phonics, and teaching writing and reading strategies?

Also....Is or has anyone else used the Comprehension Toolkit and what did you think about it?  Has anyone read either or both of the books?

Lend me your feedback...please.

Together for Our Kids,
Denise