The Rookery

O.K. so independent reading doesn't make for the most exciting photographs.  Reading in the Herons is such a natural part of our day that I sometimes forget to write about it.  We read all of the time, not just the fifty minutes designated for it on the daily schedule.  In these first few days, I'm getting to know each child as a reader.  I note the "just right" books they've chosen to read and we talk about the difference between a book that is helping you become a better reader and one which is just sheer enjoyment (a "dessert book").  There is room for both types of reading in one's diet, but it's good to set up an expectation so that one doesn't just eat dessert.

By the end of this week, I will read with each child.  I'm looking for how they phrase words when they read out loud and if they seem to be able to read with affect.  How do they deal with unfamiliar words?  Can they glean a word's meaning from context?  Do they notice when things stop making sense?  Do they understand text conventions like italics and quotation marks?  Do they make connections with what they read?  Can they identify favorite books and authors?  Do they have a preferred genre?

With these assessments, I have the information I need to set goals for each child.  I'll continue to read with each child each week, providing short bits of instruction on topics ranging from decoding multisylabic words to discecting the meaning of a particular simile.  The emphasis of our reading time is on reading — the more students read, the more competent they become.  I help them chose books and provide mini-lessons to make their development as efficient as possible.

I hope you'll continue to read with your child at home.  A nightly read aloud can still be a cherished time together.  The Northfield News can provide fodder for dinner time conversation and a children's periodical such as Discovery Kids or National Geographic for Kids can be an exciting find in the mail box.  The more your child sees you reading and the more you talk aobut your life as a reader, the more likely he or she will become a willing and capable reader.