Yurko's Oct blog

Miller section 2

“The best readers read the most and that poor readers read the least” (NRP) this is no surprise to me. After I read that quote I was very curious to where the author was going to go with the sections.  However, they did take it in a direction to where they should that if students read outside of the required reading for one hour then those students reach with in the 98% tile of the tests, the students read for 4.6 minutes daily they would be in the 50% and if the student does not read outside of school then they are in the 2 % tile.  I find that amazing!

Also, I think it just proves my point that students need to do as much independent reading in school as possible. The independent reading should be something that they enjoy and not something that they do to just please their teacher.  The student should be allowed to read anything that they want. I hate that I learned that reading is fun later on in life and I want my students to learn it now while their imaginations are just getting created.

Yurko's Sept Blog

Miller section 1

            While reading this section I was surprised how independent reading has been over looked recently. I remember reading all the time in elementary school and hating it. It wasn’t until college did I learn about the importance of reading got enjoyment in school.  I have my students independent read every day for at the very least 15 minutes.

Last year the students got to read for ticket to a Greenville Drive game and this year they are reading to be in a drawing for a football ticket.  Last year I called it my “Baseball read”.  This year I can calling it my “football read”.  However it will end soon so I was wondering what to call the silent reading time.

In Miller Section 1 they called the independent reading time DEAR or SSR.  I love that idea!!! DEAR reading allows the student to read any book they want and not be questioned by the teacher, the student can read for pure enjoyment.  DEAR allows includes the time the teacher reads to herself, which shows the student that it is fun to read and that reading can be done by everyone.  I will use this term the next time we do independent reading.

Yurko's August blog

Routman (2003), Ch. 3:  Share Your Reading Life

I felt the opposite from the author about books' and reading growing up. I would “fake” read all the time. So, I feel that allows me to connect to my students about who I am and who they are as a reader.  I feel that my past makes me more relate able to the students.  Now, on the other hand I love to read.  The author mentioned that she talks to her students about why they read.  This question gets the normal responses and when I ask that question so do I.  Then like her I talk about all the other reasons you can read and that really opens up the student’s eyes. Also reading can take you places you can’t even imagine going to.  You can read a book and you are transported to King Arthur’s Court or the bottom of the ocean.

 I had a parent teacher conference last week and I showed the parent their students’ scores.  The parent was shocked about the reading score for the ACT Aspire test.  To be honest I was too.  This student reading all the time!! So I asked what types of books the student reads at home.  I wanted to see if the student was only reading one type of genera of book.  Comes to find out that the student does.  I suggested that the student create a library for them self or create a book journal.  My classroom library has many different kinds of books for the student to pick from. The more exposure the students get to all types of books the better.