Audrey Neumann - Blog #7 - Routman Ch. 9

This chapter helped to remind me of why shared reading can be so beneficial. I especially appreciated how Routman emphasized how the intermediate and middle grades should still include poetry and picture books. I love using picture books in instruction. Too often, I feel as though picture books are overlooked in the higher grades because they are considered to be "too easy". As I continue to expand my chapter book collection in my library, so do I also continue to expand my picture books. There are great lessons and strategies that can be taught through the use of picture books. Using picture books during shared reading also allows all students to feel comfortable and confident with the text.

I enjoyed seeing how Routman set up a framework for shared reading aloud for all grades. This is something I am definitely bookmarking to use the next time I do shared reading in the classroom. With the easy to follow checklist, it will allow me to ensure that I am doing everything as a teacher to effectively teach my students, and that my students are doing everything as a learner to continue to be successful. It will also ensure that my purpose for choosing a shared reading text follows what I am teaching and reinforcing in the lesson. I also appreciated the examples of shared reading Routman provided in the chapter. Even though I have done shared reading before in my classroom, it is always nice to see an example of a correct model of shared reading so that I can self-reflect on my own practice. I am excited to see my students continue to grow as learners, as I continue to grow as a teacher independently as well as alongside them.