Saturday Sayings: Problem of the Century

I'm likely not the only one who towards the end of the year finds themselves scrambling to fix what seems to be the problem of the century.  Kids don't read over the summer.  The middle of May arrives and I start asking myself this question.  How am I going to convince all 25 of my first graders to read without me around?  Even more so, I start preaching to the parents to persuade them to make reading a priority in their homes for the next three months.  

In my heart, I know the answer to the summer reading problem lies in Kathy Collins' thought above.  If my students actually have their own passionate reading lives, then a summer without books is not an option.  Of course, they need access to books, and at their young age, parental support really is part of the puzzle.  But these little people shouldn't read this summer because their teacher told them to or their parents make them or even because the local library has a great summer reading program.  They should be reading because they have a need to read.  Solving the summer slide won't happen because in May we promote summer reading.  The problem will be solved or at least improved because of what we say and do starting on the first day of school.  Creating readers who read over the summer and ultimately for the rest of their lives takes a long nine months to foster. I've got my work cut out for me on August 21st and every day thereafter.   

P.S.  Having said all that, I thoroughly appreciate what Miss Trayers at Not Just Child's Play recently posted about summer reading.  She shared some creative ways she'll be encouraging her kids to read this summer.  I'm totally doing #3 from her list.  It's pretty much brilliant.  You should take a look.

Saturday Sayings: Lucky You!

Last Sunday I had an interesting conversation with my friend Jenn from church about her dear firstborn son who is probably around 6 months old.  At his recent doctor's appointment, the doctor asked Jenn if she were reading to Winston at least 30 minutes a day but preferably closer to an hour, broken up into short segments.  Jenn said the doctor was as serious about reading with Winston and the language he'd be exposed to as he was about his eating or sleeping.  

Of course, the whole conversation made me smile.  It's an early elementary teacher's dream to hear that doctors are that explicit about the importance of babies and books.  Sometimes I wonder if my little people have ever seen a book or heard one read when they show up at my door.  I want to say, "What have you been doing for the last 6 years of your life?"  I know what Winston will be doing.  He'll be immersed in books and their rich language.  When it's time for him to step through the doors of his first school, he'll be ready for life.  If only all doctors impressed upon parents this responsibility and if only all parents listened.  This might sound melodramatic, but I'm fairly certain it would revolutionize our world.  For sure it would mine.  

Since most likely only a chosen few are going to hear this message and embrace it with their young ones, it's all the more important that I hook 'em while they're young, even though by the time I get them they've missed some integral years of reading development.  It can be done though.  The way I approach books and reading had better be more than just jumping through hoops of letters and sounds.  I must send the message, "Look what you've been missing out on all your life.  A life with books is the luckiest life to live.  Lucky you.  Welcome to the club!"

Saturday Sayings: Talk With, Not At (Guests Too)

(Click above for previous Saturday Sayings)

I have a confession.  I don't think I'm great at this.  I do make sure my kids to talk to their neighbors throughout the day.  Yet I'm afraid there's too much talking at each other than with.  I know this is something that's within a first grader's ability, but it's up to me to create the atmosphere where it can happen.  As someone who has been communicating for 41 years, I sometimes forget that the little people I teach have only been around for 6 or 7.  Most of them won't learn this skill on accident.  The give and take of communication and ability to build upon one another's ideas must be taught, so it's certainly not their fault.  Regie Routman is right when she said, "When my teaching breaks down, it's almost always because my demonstrations have not been sufficient."  It's my lack of modeling and intentionality that keeps them from communicating well.  I'm actually in the midst of teaching this skill now and making a note in my plans to teach it much earlier in the year.  (Duh.)  I know the thinking and learning that will result from talking with each other, rather than at, will be much richer and deeper.  Better start learning how to do this now.

Guess what?  I've got guests today that I'm very excited to share with you all.  They've got their own Saturday Sayings this morning.  Ready to be inspired?  Head on over and see what Laurie, Rachel, and Kiira have to say.  I'm so looking forward to their thoughts!

Laurie

Rachel

Kiira

Saturday Sayings: Slow Down to Speed Up

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For me, this time of the school year is the hardest.  (The blood curdling scream at the top someone's lungs let out in my classroom yesterday is proof of that, and I promise it wasn't me.)  More importantly though, it's the most crucial time of the year.  The remainder of the year hinges on what I do and don't do right now.  Debbie Miller's quote says it all.  Being deliberate and explicit about the smallest of details is so important.  If my kids don't know what I expect of them, come January they are certainly not to blame when things aren't going well.  It takes lots of time and energy to be deliberate though.  Rushing into too much curriculum too early without a deliberate foundation could sabotage everything.  "Slow down to speed up" is my mantra.  I believe I made that up, but it was definitely inspired by the following quotes.  (I'm not smart enough to make it up all on my own.)

"Slow down and be consistent."  Kathy Collins, Growing Readers 60

"Spending time on procedures and management in the beginning is, in fact, good teaching and a good time investment."  Kathy Collins, Growing Readers 65

"We move slowly to eventually move fast.  The payoff is enormous."  Gail Boushey and Joan Moser, The Daily 5 42

To move slowly now doesn't necessarily mean that by the end of the year we will have accomplished less.  In fact, I believe quite the opposite is true.  We'll be able to speed up and accomplish so much more because we'll have fewer management issues to fight with along the way, and those always tend to slow us down.  I'd rather purposefully slow down now than have to slow down later out of sheer desperation.

Slow down to speed up.