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 [...]

Just Right Books

      
I hope you pick the perfect book to read just like you pick the perfect clothes to wear to school.  I will remind the students of this lesson tomorrow. 
http://writingeverydayworks.wordpress.com/2008/10/09/hope-you-can-pick-a-just-right-book/

Mem Fox Reading Aloud

When I read Reading Magic, I realized that this is a MUST READ for parents. I include several quotes in my presentations about self-selected or independent reading. I believe that children are entitled to books. They deserve the chance to read books that they pick. They deserve to have books read outloud to them. [...]

Love of Reading

“We shouldn’t teach great books; we should teach a love of reading.” ~ B. F. Skinner

How long does it take to self-select a book and read it independently at home? If it only takes 2 hours approximately for many children to Hatchet (4 hours at most), then why do some classrooms take 6 weeks? Or [...]

Read Wisely Like Petunia!

Petunia does not realize that you must open the book to become wise until the very end of the book. I think this is one of the very best books for teaching children to open books, [...]

Just Right Books Awesome Lesson

A teacher named Ginger who is really reflective about her practice wrote about picking “Just Right Books”. She wrote this lesson on Wednesday, September 17, 2003. It is still an awesome lesson.
I have been laying the foundation and working on procedures STILL. It seemed like forever before we even got to unpacking the boxes [...]

HOPE you can pick a JUST RIGHT book!

Abby is holding a “little shirt” representing books that are too easy to read! HOPE you don’t pick too easy books! HOPE you know that reading too easy books are ok sometimes.
Books are too easy, just right, or too hard. This too little shirt is representing that are too easy for this [...]

“Why can’t I skip my 20 minutes of reading tonight?”

Let’s figure it out —MATHEMATICALLY!
Student A reads 20 minutes five nights of every week;Student B reads only 4 minutes a night…or not at all!
Step 1: Multiply minutes a night x 5 times each week.Student A reads 20 min. x 5 times a week = 100 mins./weekStudent B reads 4 minutes x 5 times a week [...]