Read, Read, Read

After spending most of the week discussing classroom procedures and getting to know each other, we began discussing reading. Good News...no book reports or book projects. Even better news, each student will read 40 books of their choice. Ten books will be of a specific genre. To assist students in meeting this challenge, I will be providing student's time in class to read, in addition to the 20 minutes of DEAR time they have each day. We will work hard to create a community of readers, sharing good books with one another, and I will conference with each student to assess their progress throughout the year.


On Monday, students will begin keeping a reading journal. In their journal, they will keep a record of what books they read, by recording the book title and beginning and end date for each book. Students will also keep a list of "to read" books.


Friday, we discussed how to "steal" time for reading and came up with a possible list of places and times to read. We also spent time discussing how to find good books. Please be aware I introduced students to this website: http://goodreads.com

Students may search for books and read book reviews on this site. If they choose, they can create an account, which will allow them to enter books which they have read, plan to read, write book reviews etc. It's really a great way to converse with a community of readers and create an extension of our classroom, as we can "friend" one another. As always though, please be aware and monitor your student's activity. This site offers reviews on all books, not just young/adult.


I would also like to thank everyone who has donated a book to our classroom library. It's very much appreciated. For those who were not able to make it to Open House, here are a few suggestions on how to help your student reach their reading goal.

• Take an interest in what they are reading


• Encourage reading time, even if it's in short intervals. Steal time in the car, waiting for appointments, bus etc.


• For struggling readers, take turns reading. Student reads a page and then parent reads a page


• Listening to books on audio is acceptable


• Make sure student's have access to books. Help student's return school library books in a timely manner and visit the Tulsa County Library from time to time. Used book stores also offer a good variety at an affordable price.

Please don't hesitate at anytime to contact me if you have any questions. I want this year to be a successful year for your student, reading more books than they ever imagined.

Attention Advanced Students: Please Read

It has been brought to my attention that in order to become a follower of this blog, you have to have a yahoo or google account/email. In order to have a yahoo or google email, you have to be at least 18. So, please skip this part of your instructions. I am very sorry for any inconvenience or frustration this has caused. Please just familiarize yourself with the website and complete the rest of this assignment. You may want to book mark this site or add it to your favorites.

By becoming a follower, you would have received an email alerting you to the fact that the blog had been updated. I will find another way to alert you when the blog has been updated or you may check the blog at anytime for updates. Parents, if you have a yahoo or google account, feel free to become a follower or I will alert you via email when the blog has been updated.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. I will also go over all of this on Monday.

Enjoyed meeting all of you and I hope you have a great weekend!

Introductions

This is my seventh year teaching English on the Dartmouth team. I have a bachelor's degree from Northeastern State University and I became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2008. I am currently the team leader for the team Dartmouth, and I assist with the D-FY (Drug Free Youth) organization.

At home, I am the mother to triplets, two boys and a girl. They are entering the first grade and have already managed to fill my calendar with lots of extra curricular activities. I understand the need for family time, so rarely will I assign homework, unless it's a special project. However, should a student not complete their assignment in class, they they will be expected to complete it at home.

I am very excited about the upcoming school year. Students, as a team, we have some fun cross-curricular activities planned for you. In English, you can look forward to hands-on learning opportunities and I can't wait to share my love of reading with you. My goal is to help you become a better writer, reader, and thinker.

Parents, I will do my best to keep you informed. I strongly believe that academic success is a team effort. If at anytime, you have questions, please email or call me.

Students, feel free to leave me a comment. Tell me a little about your self, your goals for the year and/or the best book you read this summer.