Reading
Building Readers
“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty. It should be offered to them as a precious gift.” —Kate DiCamillo I love to sit on the carpet with a small group of young readers and examine a simple predictable book. These emergent texts open the door to reading for my kindergartners.…
Read MoreThe Dilemma of Guided Reading and the Rest of the Class
“But what is the rest of the class doing?” This is the question teachers often ask themselves when they begin to think about implementing guided reading. The answers or lack thereof are what make many shy away from implementing it because for guided reading to be effective, the rest of the class must be involved…
Read MoreSparking Comprehension
“To learn to read is to light a fire, every syllable that is spelled is a spark.” – Victor Hugo There is such a poetic beauty to Hugo’s words and I so wish to fan those flames in my young readers. This is my goal during guided reading –…
Read MoreGuided Reading – Cornerstone of Balanced Literacy
“I read like the ink from the book is oxygen and I’m gasping for breath.” – unknown As I stumbled upon this quote, the dendrites started firing in my brain. This is how I want my kindergartners to feel about reading. When our children find success as readers, they find joy in reading. The problem is…
Read MoreThe Next Step Forward in Guided Reading
ERG is excited to announce our next professional learning event! The Next Step Forward in Guided Reading March 19, 2018 8:30 – 3:30 Does your guided reading instruction need a refresher? K-8 teachers are invited to dig deeper into guided reading and take the next step forward to pinpoint instruction that supports every…
Read MoreAgain
“Again!” He pushes the book back into my hands. “Again, Ms. Sylvan, AGAIN!” We’ve read this one four times already today. “We’ve read this one so many times! Would you like to pick a different one this time?” “NO! THIS ONE! AGAIN!” Again. This one. Nothing else will do. If you work with…
Read MoreEach Kindness
“This is what kindness does, Ms. Albert said. Each little thing we do goes out, like a ripple, into the world.” – Jacqueline Woodson, Each Kindness Whenever I look at a list of ways to help children become kinder or more compassionate, one suggestion is always to read books to them. Books help all of…
Read MoreEven More Books About Belonging
Here’s my final list of books about belonging. These continue, in a different way, to address questions like: Do I belong? Where? Does being different matter? Does location define me? Am I acceptable as I am? Tough questions from highly readable books. The Other Boy written by M. G. Hennessey; illustrated by Sfe R. Monster;…
Read MoreThe Ugly Duckling Syndrome
The story of the Ugly Duckling has always broken my heart. As a child, I just couldn’t bear to read how that poor little fledgling was teased and mistreated – and being one who cries at Hallmark commercials – I still have a hard time reading it to my students. Now I prefer to…
Read MoreBelonging: Books for Middle Schoolers
Coming to terms with your heritage, learning to love and trust someone else, and accepting others for who they are form the core themes of the middle school books listed below. You’ll learn to love these characters by looking at them through their eyes and the eyes of those around them. These books are a…
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