Read, Read, Read

     The main idea across chapter 1 and 2 in "Classrooms that Work" and the article, "What I've Learned About Effecting Reading Instruction" by Richard L. Allington has persuaded to be confident in the fact that children need to read as much as possible in order to improve their reading. Allington's article gave "six T's" of effective elementary literacy instruction that stuck out to me:

1. Time

2. Texts

3. Teaching

4. Talk

5. Tasks

6. Testing

     While describing each "T" Allington provided much information about the difference between an exemplary teacher and just a teacher for each "T". I put together a list to summarize his points that I have found extremely helpful.

Exemplary Teachers

-Maintained a "reading and writing versus stuff" ratio that was adequately balanced
-Supplying a rich supply of books that students can actually read (appropriate complexity)
- Showed explicit models of the cognitive strategies that good readers use to read ("watch me" "let me show you")
-Encouraged and modeled much talk through the school day (purposeful talk in a conversational tone)
-Use of longer assignments over the course of a few days, rather than multiple short tasks to fill the day
-Evaluation of student work based more on effort and improvement than just achievement.


     Another main idea I have come across that has really interested me is the fact that teachers may have a lesson plan, but just going by that plan is not sufficient enough. Making students fill out a worksheet, or asking interrogative questions looking for a right answer are not good ways to assess or further student's knowledge. Teachers cannot just give multiple assignments and grade them based off of those assignments. Teachers are consistently working hard, re-planning, facilitating discussion, evaluating student's skill levels to help them learn in a way that will resonate with them individually, and so much more. Student choice, or managed choice is a huge part of engaging students. There are so many helpful and interesting things and ideas that these sources provide when describing what these exemplary teachers are doing in their classrooms.

     I came across this "Daily 5 Station Ideas" while I was on Pinterest. This seems to me like such an awesome idea when integrating reading into basically everything that students are doing. Each box gives great ideas on how to incorporate that type of reading into the classroom, or even at home. It is crazy to know how much reading effects your education- and with these ideas you can incorporate reading into your lesson planning all day long, all week long, etc.!