Precious Babies

In the book Growing Readers, there is a section of  "Readers Build Good Habits." where you teach students how to care for books.  You make such a big deal out of books  that are left on the floor or placed upside down or if they are abused in any manner.  You want kids to care for your books the way you care for your books.  This ensures that they will last a long time so others will get to continue to enjoy them.  It also instills a lifetime skill of caring for books and other treasured property.

Well, I started calling the kids' books "precious babies."  If they are precious and fragile,  they should be taken care of  so we can enjoy them and  have them around for  a long time.

This  "precious babies principle" is also applied to our small  moment stories from Writing Workshop.  I want students to put their heart and souls into those stories so we can learn all about them and what they care about.  In addition, I want them to care about their stories enough to protect them in their folders and not leave them laying on the floor or a desk and proud enough to write their names and the dates on their stories.  (Babies have important meanings in our lives.)  Yesterday when one of our students dropped her stories on the ground, one of my students announced that he would "rescue" them for her.  We re-enacted what it looked like.  There was great laughter all around...but they are beginning to realize how important these works are.  Yay!

At first the kids were startled by me calling their books and stories babies....but as they gain a sense of preciousness about their work, they get the why, and I smile.

Have a grand week!
Mrs. Wallace

Why Daily 5?

Quote from Regie Routman ~The typical teacher has children doing a lot of "stuff",  How is what I am having children doing creating readers and writers?

This quote has given me a lot to think about over the years, as I work to rid my classroom of stuff.  Hence, I have used  The Daily 5 for about five years.  (maybe more).  What I love the most about this practice is it is one of the most authentic practices in my classroom.  In our class, we tease about the ten ways to become a better reader, and we put up each finger one by one as we say, "read, read, read..."   The kids laugh each and every time we chant this.   If I say I value reading, and we don't practice authentic reading and only do worksheets, kids don't get to value reading either.  I have to give them plenty of time to practice...but I also have to give them plenty of time to succeed so they fall in love with the magic of reading.

The most important part about the book is that these ladies help you map out how to introduce each section of the Daily 5, play by play: Read to Self, Read to a Buddy, Work on Writing, Word Work and Listening.  Each of these processes enhances reading and writing in a big way.  I recommend that you take their advice and do this process slowly.  If you rush to implement a strategy too quickly, the kids may practice it wrong, and you either lose value of this precious reading time or stamina.

Another reason I am a fan of the Daily 5, is that it provides me time to work with kids.  In conjunction with The Café, another book written by the sisters, students are actively engaged in what good readers do to improve their own comprehension and accuracy.  But that is another topic I will take up at another time.

Recently I had someone ask me how I set up book boxes for independent reading.  Here's what I do.  I teach the kids how to find a good fit book (also in the Daily 5 book.)  The Sisters have a perfect lesson about that using shoes that fit perfectly.  You should check it out!  Then, I find 10-15 books at that child's level.  In addition, I add Weekly Readers, and other level appropriate magazines, and guided reading books we have covered that week.  Their box is full...and rarely, does a child have a chance to say I have nothing to read!

This year, I am going to try and introduce readers that are tied to our reading themes and change the books out more often to avoid books becoming stale or engaged readers become engaged chatters.  :)

I am sure I will revisit this lovely topic, but I wanted to get the Whys into your hands while you still have some reading time left this summer.  It's worth your time, and it actually creates time for the teacher.  Let me know what you think!

Have a fabulous weekend,
Marie Wallace