Reading
Principal's Hot Picks
From the desk of Alice…. In every school I have ever gone in, there are students who can read but choose not to. These students know how to call words, they understand what they read and they even think critically–when they decide they want to. They can be a challenge because the barrier to reading…
Read MoreDrawing to Enhance Understanding
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . During a recent literacy lesson, I had the opportunity to work with a group of fourth graders who were reading a piece of historical fiction. They were working to construct a character analysis and decided to create some drawings to show their understanding of the text.…
Read MoreEnlarge Your World
From the desk of Leigh Ann . . . “There are many ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all” – Jacqueline Kennedy One of the most important things we can do to help instill a love of learning in our students is to read to them every day.…
Read MoreMy Child Can Read a Level
From the desk of Carol C… My child is reading above grade level. My child is reading at level J. My child is struggling with reading. How could all of these statements be said about the same child? Do they not contradict each other? The answers depend on the definition of the word “reading” you…
Read MoreShare Your Thinking
From the desk of Carol C… Soon teachers will begin reviewing for the end of the year tests. Some of the review will include using multiple choice practice tests. Assigning the work and then checking the answers leaves many students still in the dark about how to find the correct answer. Here’s a way you…
Read MoreModeling Reading Strategies
From the desk of Carol C… This week I’ve been fascinated by the Theory of Inflation as related to the creation of our universe. Articles are all over the newspapers and the web about this discovery. As I read the first of many pieces about it, I realized I had lost the meaning of what…
Read MoreA Parent's Guide to Asking Questions
From the desk of Leigh Ann… Life is an unanswered question, but let’s still believe in the dignity and importance of the question.~ Tennessee Williams Questions, questions, questions! Skillful readers ask themselves questions as they read to build understanding. Often children read and save the questions for the end. To better understand a text readers…
Read MoreThe Character of Characters – Developing Greater Understanding
From the desk of Leigh Ann… In our kindergarten class our emergent readers are working with simple predictable texts to develop appropriate reading behaviors, extend word recognition, and increase decoding skills. These texts are perfect for our young ones as they develop fluency and the strategies they need to decode new words. The limiting factors…
Read MoreBurkins & Yaris: Reading Wellness Workshop
Join us in July to spend the day with Jan Burkins & Kim Yaris! Their workshop will be focused on Reading Wellness: Lessons that Teach Independence and Proficiency Thursday, July 24, 2014 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (Registration & continental breakfast at 8:00) at The McKimmon Conference & Training Center, NCSU Campus, Raleigh, NC Click…
Read MoreToo Good for Guided Reading?
From the desk of Alice… I recently had a conversation with a teacher who said her kids don’t really need Guided Reading anymore because they are her top students and they can read well. If you are in a school working on Guided Reading, you may have heard this, too. In a perfect school world,…
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