Reading!

I am sooo proud of my kids after looking at their scores for reading the majority of their scores jumped. They jumped UP a lot. I owe it to their parents who read to them every night but they've also made a jump to reading strategy we are using. I learned about it last year from our R.T.I teacher. It is called Tucker Signing Strategies for Reading. For those students who have trouble not bouncing themselves right out of their seat and out the door it works! Because it involves movement it with the letter sounds (phonemes) it helps the brain to make more permanent connections. To become a better reader you have to spend a lot of time reading. This has been a huge focus for my students. Like I said before before, the parents who make a point to read with their kids every day ... well their children do significantly better in reading. So pick up a book and read to a kid in your life or have them read to you. The ability to read well has a HUGE impact in every area of education. Anyhow I am super excited about Tucker Signing. For student who are struggling readers it really builds their confidence in reading. It helps them sound out the words instead of the teacher sounding out the words for them. What is great about it in my classroom is that I can do this strategy with all of my students.

Having strategies that I can use at all levels is something I need more of. It is difficult to find quality products that can be used in this way. Many claim to be differentiated.... but few are!!! Our Basal reader program is TERRIBLE! If I could toss it I would. UGGH! I don't know what to use in its place but it is horribly out of date. Hopefully we can get a new curriculum reading curriculum next year. It is being discussed but.... we shall see.

This Thursday after school and Friday during the day begins Parent Teacher conferences. I think most of my parents are going to show up. This is a VERY good thing! Hopefully, the other parents I can get in to the school. A ranch nearby was sold and the new owner let quality people go and cut pay for those who stayed. Those who stayed are having trouble putting food on the table for their families. This leads to all kinds of stress.

I get such a kick out of reading aloud to my students every day. It is probably my favorite part of the day and I really hate to miss it. I have read several great books to my kids this year. My favorite thing is when I get to the end of the chapter and stop reading.... they say "oooooohhhh one more please one more chapter please"!! It really doesn't get better than that. Right now we are reading James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. What I find fun as well is the kids go find books by the same authors we have read before and ask me to read another one. I am trying to do a variety of different styles of books.

I am probably going to branding again this weekend. It was so fun last weekend that I am considering visiting again. The calves left to do are also smaller so it will frankly ... be less scary to me!

If you have a suggestion for a GREAT BOOK to read aloud to my class please leave a comment.