How do I get kids to Read at Home?
I am a BLOG STALKER!
I admit it.
This year I am trying to get my kids to
Read at HOME.
I am ALWAYS trying to find the BEST,
FASTEST, & EASIEST ways
to make my classroom run smoother
& more effective while being
academically successful.
Aren’t we ALL?
So each year I try to “change”
a few things for the better.
NO THROWING THE BABY OUT
WITH THE BATH WATER!
So here is something “NEW”
( or New to ME )
that I am doing this year!
Who chooses the students Read at Home Books?
I am NOT ( Ugh…), NOT
choosing the Student’s
TAKE HOME BOOKS
each week.
( Let it go! Let it go!)
I LET THEM!
The power is in the CHOICE.
I thought if I chose reading books that were
ON their reading level
THEY would MAGICALLY
fall in LOVE with READING!
NOT!
How Do Their Books get HOME?
I have RAH ( Read AT Home ) envelopes…
Purchased at
REALLY GREAT STUFF
BUT ANY envelope will do!
Each WEDNESDAY and FRIDAY
they bring their RAH folder back.
I have them choose 2 books…
YES…2 books to put in their folder.
( I place a pile 20 or so, of books at each level …
*disclaimer…right now I have 5 Guided Reading groups…
I group their PILES of books
at the Guided Reading group level…
So they really are taking home books
at THEIR reading level.
Just a little teacher
“nudge”
in the right direction!
They choose two books,
put them in their envelopes,
and put them in their cubbies.
They keep them for 2 nights…
hence bringing them back WED. & FRI.
We change them for two NEW books …
and here we go again!
How do I know if they REALLY read their
Read at Home Books?
Some nights I add a
READING RESPONSE
page to their homework.
USE ONE OF YOUR RAH BOOKS!
( Your choice!)
You can get my READING RESPONSE Packet HERE
Reading Response forms for ANY Book. Read and Write.
Accountability?
I do have a paper…lined…for parents to sign each night.
DO ALL OF THEM SIGN IT?
NO!
If YOU take a horse to water…
Can you FORCE it to drink it?
NO!
Let it go! Let it go!
What happens if a parent doesn’t read at home
with a student?
If you have a parent
who doesn’t support reading at home…
READ, READ, READ at school.
YOU may be
the ONLY adult
who reads with
“THAT CHILD”…
We ALL have “that child”.
Don’t fight it!
Don’t PUNISH the child.
IF he/she could read it BY THEMSELVES…
THEY WOULD!
They can’t.
So
Let it go! Let it go!
How do You REWARD students who do Read At Home?
I do REWARD
those who make the continued effort
to read at home
EVERY NIGHT!
When they bring their envelopes back,
I check the paper.
IF the parent HAS NOT SIGNED…
I highlight in RED that date.
At the end of the MONTH..
I give a reward
(and a SPECIAL BRAG TAG )
to those who have read
EVERY NIGHT!
I know…NOT fair for “that child”.
Fair is NOT Always EQUAL!
I want my kiddos who
DO THE WORK
to know
I NOTICE!
And so my friends…
I keep stalking.
LOTS of great ideas out there in
BLOGGY LAND.
And PINTEREST LAND.
AND INSTAGRAM LAND.
If you need some ideas…
Check out MY PINTEREST BOARDS.
Happy Reading my Friends
