Choice Matters at All Ages

It would be great if all Middle Schools adopted this philosophy.  High Schools too! 
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/books/30reading.html?pagewanted=1&ref=education

Ramblings from Deb Renner Smith: Procedures for Independent Reading

Procedures for Independent Reading
We know that children need to read a lot during independent reading.  As classrooms start up this Fall, how do we ensure that our students are actually reading during reading? 
I wrote a chapter about read aloud in True Stories. 
http://writingeverydayworks.wordpress.com/2009/03/28/read-alouds-matter/
Read Alouds:  Each day the teacher includes at least one read aloud.  This allows [...]

2 gallon book bag holding independent reading choices

Why Read Aloud to Children? Let me count the ways…

Reading aloud to students is important.  Blah blah blah.  Reading aloud to children is necessary because otherwise they won’t read the books we love and think are important.  “Blessing Books” is when the teacher has read a little bit of a book to the classroom or touched the book and talked enough about the book [...]

Literacy Conference in Littleton, CO: Deb Renner Smith, Debbie Miller, and Matt Glover

Deb Renner Smith, c0-author of,   and and contributing author of
 presented ideas for Shared Reading (Guided Reading the Four Blocks Way).  Deb shared movie clips, and lessons that could be immediately implemented into the classroom. 
    Matt Glover presented on writing.  He reassured the audience that after reading a writing piece, that one really cannot [...]

Summer Reading Matters

Summer Reading Matters
Summer reading matters because reading scores decrease when children don’t read.  Students need to experience ‘high success reading’, visit places with books, and have a ‘bring along a book’ plan.
Reading scores do not fall when children really read a lot of easy selections.  While my daughter was searching for the perfect book at [...]

Do you believe in choice? I do!

Reading a book that I pick, that I choose, that I want to read is vital to me.  Do you believe that children have the same right? I do.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/5240838/What-makes-children-read-books.html

Choice is Important

One of my favorite author’s is Linda Gambrell.  She has written Self-Selected Reading the Four Blocks Way.  She also has written too many articles and books to mention.  She was the International Reading Association president in 2007-2008.  I am delighted to be able to say that I know her personally.  She is a facebook ‘friend’.  [...]

Self Selected Reading Procedure Books

I use this book to teach choosing lots of books to read during reading time.  This book encourages the love of reading.
 ”Don’t be a PETUNIA!”  Petunia walks around with a book tucked under her wing.  She doesn’t open it.  She is so silly that she doesn’t even know that there are words on the page.  Finally, [...]

Four Square or Triangle Knee Conversations After Self-Selected Reading

My experience in classrooms has led me to believe that triads or ‘triangle knees’ are the ideal size groups.  A group of three students form a cooperative group that I refer to as triangle knees.  Each member in the group sits criss-cross applesauce so that each persons knees touch the person on both the left and [...]