Whittaker blog post 1

In Not this but that, No More Independent Reading Without Support, Miller states that when children read extensively, they learn about themselves, other people, and the world; they learn that reading is something they can do that empowers them to control their lives, connect with each other, and make the world a better place. My students have learned the importance of reading and we make time for independent daily.  They make connections to real life experiences and the book sharing time seems to make the books come alive in their eyes.  The more they read, the more information they learn and share amongst one another. I love to see the eagerness and excitement when they learn something from reading as well as each other. I have learned how to limit time consuming activities such as calendar, workbooks, centers etc. to increase the time that my students are reading in class.  Miller also states that the more opportunities we can give children to read, the better and I totally agree!