Reading

During my track outs, I really enjoy subbing around the county. Not only do I get to make a little extra money, but it gives me a chance to see other schools, see what other teachers are teaching, etc.
Today, I subbed in a high school special education class. It was so much fun! I really enjoyed my time there! However, it really made me realize (not that I needed reminding, of course) how important reading is - especially in elementary school. I love reading myself, and particularly aloud; read aloud is my favorite time during the day. Kids really need to hear a fluent reader to help them become better readers. By 4th grade, many parents feel that reading to their child might not be age-appropriate anymore. However, they need to hear that fluency that comes from an experienced reader; not only reading sentences smoothly, but with expression and proper stops at punctuation.
They also need to think deeply about what they read. I use a combination of Marzano's questions and Bloom's Taxonomy to help ask deeper-thinking questions. I recently finished a "book club" packet for one of my favorite books, Le Petit Prince. I'm planning on using it with my high-level reading group to help them practice asking higher level questions of each other. Feel free to use it if you like!