No, this isn't the post you might think it is. I'm just genuinely curious. I'm hoping to stay busy these next few months by working on articles to submit to teaching journals. Help me out by sharing what grade your kid is in and what books they've read this year for whole-class novels, book club picks, independent reading, and what their teacher is reading aloud to them. Skip the next three sections if you don't want to read about reading in the classroom.
For example, my students have read Eleven by Tom Rogers as a whole-class novel and I modeled what good readers do, went over literary skills, and teach about 9/11 from it. They then moved on to the 9/11 book club books, and I'm currently running eight different book clubs (the favorite is Ground Zero by Alan Gratz). Currently reading The Unteachables by Gordon Kormon to my students. A couple of years ago, I did a massive amount of research on increasing student reading. I do everything in my power to get my students to enjoy reading 40 independent reading books in one school year. Today, I book talked ten books, for example. I beg authors to do Zoom meetings with my students. I hold book raffles to see who gets to read the book first (seriously, this works). I do book tastings. My students read their independent reading book for at least 30 minutes every day in homeroom.
I have sacrificed (if I can even call it that) at least 45 hours of direct instruction to read to my students or talk about books for independent reading in the last year. My students DO NOT FAIL state assessments. No, seriously. I have never had a student fail and I'm at a 100% pass rate and 60% exceeds. I believe it's mostly due to the emphasis I place on reading in my classroom. My first year implementing this was the 20-21 SY. Last year was my second. This spring, the state is rolling out new and more ridiculous tests and I'm trying to see if this is all just a fluke or if I'm doing something right in the classroom.
Also, the beauty of teaching students is sometimes they beg you to pick up a book and you give in and it's excellent. I'm currently reading Scythe by Neal Schusterman and I'm obsessed. Pick it up so we can have an OT book club discussion!
Anyway, I don't feel like asking FB because I have too many teacher friends and parents, and coworkers whose kids I have to post. I leave FB for all of my sports posts. This is where I come to ask real questions.
What grade is your kid in and what books have they read this year for whole-class novels, book club picks, independent reading, and what their teacher is reading aloud to them?
For example, my students have read Eleven by Tom Rogers as a whole-class novel and I modeled what good readers do, went over literary skills, and teach about 9/11 from it. They then moved on to the 9/11 book club books, and I'm currently running eight different book clubs (the favorite is Ground Zero by Alan Gratz). Currently reading The Unteachables by Gordon Kormon to my students. A couple of years ago, I did a massive amount of research on increasing student reading. I do everything in my power to get my students to enjoy reading 40 independent reading books in one school year. Today, I book talked ten books, for example. I beg authors to do Zoom meetings with my students. I hold book raffles to see who gets to read the book first (seriously, this works). I do book tastings. My students read their independent reading book for at least 30 minutes every day in homeroom.
I have sacrificed (if I can even call it that) at least 45 hours of direct instruction to read to my students or talk about books for independent reading in the last year. My students DO NOT FAIL state assessments. No, seriously. I have never had a student fail and I'm at a 100% pass rate and 60% exceeds. I believe it's mostly due to the emphasis I place on reading in my classroom. My first year implementing this was the 20-21 SY. Last year was my second. This spring, the state is rolling out new and more ridiculous tests and I'm trying to see if this is all just a fluke or if I'm doing something right in the classroom.
Also, the beauty of teaching students is sometimes they beg you to pick up a book and you give in and it's excellent. I'm currently reading Scythe by Neal Schusterman and I'm obsessed. Pick it up so we can have an OT book club discussion!
Anyway, I don't feel like asking FB because I have too many teacher friends and parents, and coworkers whose kids I have to post. I leave FB for all of my sports posts. This is where I come to ask real questions.
What grade is your kid in and what books have they read this year for whole-class novels, book club picks, independent reading, and what their teacher is reading aloud to them?
