Holly Hanna - Blog Post #1 - Section 1 - Not This, Miller

"It's well-known that in order to become thoughtful, strategic, proficient readers, children need to read.  A lot."  This quote from Miller's text sounded familiar to me and my practice as a classroom teacher.  I often say to students, "The more you read, the better reader you'll be."  I believe that every teacher of elementary-age students truly shares this belief.  However, we all struggle to find the time to let students "just read".  This chapter validates the idea that reading, whether for a specific purpose as in research, or simply to escape in a fiction piece with characters and suspense, it helps children evolve into readers who enjoy reading as they become more proficient.  This doesn't happen by reading alone.  Giving children planned, deliberate reading time also allows teachers to offer support and instruction that helps them gain valuable strategies needed to improve their overall reading skills.  Building this reading time into my daily schedule has helped me stay accountable in making sure that every student has the time to read every day, regardless of busy schedules or special activities.  Students not only have the chance to "Read to Self" during our balanced literacy rotations, but my entire class reads independently first thing every morning.  It's a way to "ease into" our day and this is a wonderful time for me to conference with students as they're reading before we start other subject areas.  It's not chaotic or rushed as it would be in the DEAR model mentioned in Miller's text, which happens at the end of the day.  Regardless of when reading is done, it's certainly a gift we give to our students and we can hope they will find the joy it can bring.

Since I have built planned independent reading time into my daily routine, I've seen some of my struggling readers crave more reading time (and ask for it) and some of my strongest readers "sneaking" more time to finish a chapter.  Nothing could make me happier!  :)  I love to read and I often share that with my students.  I enjoy sharing books that I read as a child and even books that my own children have read through the years.  Modeling is, and always will be, an effective practice for teachers, especially in reading.  Reading aloud to my students is something that I wish I had more time to do and although it is one activity that seems to get pushed aside regularly with increasing demands in all subject areas, it is an important task for teachers.  Miller wrote a lot about teachers "guarding benches" such as calendar time or tedious activities crowding our reading blocks, which leads to less time for independent reading.  I think doing a daily read aloud is one bench worth guarding because it shows students that I value reading, not just their reading or my reading, but OUR reading as a members of our classroom as we share a story together.  

"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."  Wow!  What a statement made by Miller and what a pep talk for teachers AND students.  Reminding students that they have control (which children love) over what they read during daily reading times or that they could connect with other by sharing books they love with others, could give students who have not found that love of literature a purpose for reading!  It starts with us - the time we consider valuable, the modeling we do daily, and the support we give to every student as they read.