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| -Donalyn Miller |
I loved chapter 3 because it addressed the question I have had throughout the reading: What can I do if I will not be able to implement 20 to 30 minutes of free reading each day?
The principal at my school is AMAZING! She is one of the hardest workers I know, and everything she does I know she does with the students' best interest at heart. However, I'm not sure that she would be sold with taking 20 minutes of my instruction time each day to allow students to read. Our schedule is already tight, with exactly 90 minutes for math and reading without built in transitions or bathroom breaks. This chapter helped me realize ways to get students reading by taking advantage of other times.
Miller stresses at the beginning of the chapter the importance of communicating to students that taking time to read is important. The best way to do this is show that you value the importance of reading by giving some class time for just that. However, there are other ways to do this as well.
Here are some ways to get in some extra reading time throughout your day:
* Classroom Interruptions- Miller discusses how in the early weeks of the school year she actually practices classroom interruptions with her class. This enforces her expectation of them taking out a book and taking that time to read without being asked.
* Bell Work- Miller admits that she would have morning work for students each morning to keep them engaged. She states, "I realized that every nonreading activity was wasting precious minutes of reading time daily."
* When Students Are Done- Miller also explains how we should try to avoid busy work for those students who finish early. She suggested that students get out their book and read when they complete assignments.
* Picture Day (or any free moment!)- Miller used picture day as an example of how she tries to encourage her student to use any extra moment to enjoy their books. Not all students will take advantage of this, but try to encourage them to take out a book while waiting for an assembly, a long bus ride home or on a field trip, while waiting to be picked up at car rider line, etc.
Miller ends the chapter with discussing how it is not necessary to dedicate a certain section of your classroom for reading. She states, "We must send the message that any place can be the right place for reading, whether it's on the subway or in an out-of-the-way corner."
Here are some ways to get in some extra reading time throughout your day:
* Classroom Interruptions- Miller discusses how in the early weeks of the school year she actually practices classroom interruptions with her class. This enforces her expectation of them taking out a book and taking that time to read without being asked.
* Bell Work- Miller admits that she would have morning work for students each morning to keep them engaged. She states, "I realized that every nonreading activity was wasting precious minutes of reading time daily."
* When Students Are Done- Miller also explains how we should try to avoid busy work for those students who finish early. She suggested that students get out their book and read when they complete assignments.
* Picture Day (or any free moment!)- Miller used picture day as an example of how she tries to encourage her student to use any extra moment to enjoy their books. Not all students will take advantage of this, but try to encourage them to take out a book while waiting for an assembly, a long bus ride home or on a field trip, while waiting to be picked up at car rider line, etc.
Miller ends the chapter with discussing how it is not necessary to dedicate a certain section of your classroom for reading. She states, "We must send the message that any place can be the right place for reading, whether it's on the subway or in an out-of-the-way corner."
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