Most of the teachers that I work with have inherited students who are not yet accustomed to the cooperative learning structures and processes that drive effective literature circles. As a result, the honeymoon is often over far too soon as teachers begin confronting the reality of this learning environment: it’s a bit messier than what [...]
Planning to launch a literature circles experience requires teachers to begin with the end in mind. Considering what we want kids to know and be able to do at the end of the journey is a good place to begin, and rather than focusing on teaching specific books or titles, attending to identified skills and essential [...]
I’m a tremendous fan of literature circles. I used them frequently in my own classroom and enjoy learning more about the varied ways to maximize their potential. Many of the teachers that I’ve been working with this year have begun launching literature circles in their own classrooms, and witnessing the energy that builds in response to [...]
Providing choice, time, and access to great books goes a long way toward motivating kids who would rather not be reading, but as @steveshann reminded me on Twitter last night, community is everything and conversation is where it begins. Informal conversation. Communities build around books and reading rapidly when we invite kids to share their [...]
This week’s posts have focused on reluctant readers and three factors that teachers might consider in their efforts to hook kids on books. I’ve shared my own experiences with providing choice to young readers and carving out class time for pleasure reading. Today, I wanted to share some ideas and resources that might help you [...]
Nurturing a passion for reading begins with providing choice, but making space within the school day for kids to read the books that they choose can be a challenge as well. Many schools build DEAR time into the daily or weekly schedule by using time during homeroom or lunch or revamping the schedule to make [...]
Provide Choice. Provide Time. Provide Access to Books. Sounds easy, I guess. I know from experience that it isn’t though. Consider the first factor: providing kids choice in terms of what they read. Few people would question the logic that suggests kids who are allowed to choose their own reading material are more likely to actually read it. [...]
Teachers spend a good amount of time focused on struggling readers. We analyze standardized tests, keep running records, and monitor progress in an attempt to diagnose and respond to the needs of students who require added support in order to be successful. So much so, I speculate, that we sometimes find ourselves with little time to attend to one [...]
That’s what the research process is truly about, wouldn’t you agree? So much of what we hope to teach can begin with what kids are passionate about, and many of the teachers I work with know from experience that when new learning journeys are fueled by passionate inquiry the rewards are great. How do we help kids define and [...]
Over the last few days, I’ve been gearing up for a conference focusing on new ways to engage reluctant readers. In my travels, I’ve stumbled upon some valuable resources that have me reflecting on my own work with kids who don’t enjoy reading, and I’m blown away by the new potential that the web provides [...]
