“Can I share this with the class?” “Can I tell the class about this?” I hear these requests from students everyday. They are so eager to share things they know, or things that have happened to them. Sadly, we often don’t have time for students to share about everything they are thinking. But what if we made it a priority to set aside a time for students to share each day? Not just sharing about random things, but having a clear focus on the things to be shared. In Chapter 2 Block and Parris state that five minutes should be spent letting students share their insights into their books after silent reading (pg. 26). This is something I typically don’t schedule time for students to do each day. They usually talk quickly with me about what they are reading, but now I think it would be much more beneficial for all students if they shared about their reading as a large group. I would imagine the amount they would learn from each other would be much greater than what they would gain from a quick conversation with me.
So, what would this look like in my classroom? I think the best way to implement this would be to first teach the whole class the strategies listed for comprehension. Once the students were familiar with the strategies and able to use them (even if they weren’t yet mastered), then I would have them share their thoughts at the end of silent reading. I would do a lot of modeling while teaching the strategies and encourage them to try using all of them at some point. If students were going to be able to really use these strategies to improve their comprehension, then they would also need different supplies available to them. They would need supplies to create images; post-it’s to record questions, and paper and graphic organizers to record their thoughts. Another thing they would need is time to think and plan for what they want to share and time to create something to share if needed (pictures, notes, etc.).
When I think about what I do when I read a book that I really enjoy, I realize that I always talk to other people and discuss the book with them. Even if they haven’t read it, I still tell them about it and try to get them interested in reading it. I know students would love to share their ideas and it would be a valuable way to spend class time. What I’m not sure of is why I haven’t done it before now. I teach them strategies and we use them as a whole class, but there isn’t enough time for meaningful discussion because I don’t schedule enough time. We do writing every day and they are given time to share their work. They are always excited to share and put maximum effort into their writing because they know that they are going to get the chance to stand in front of the class and tell about it. What a simple way to motivate kids.
So, what would this look like in my classroom? I think the best way to implement this would be to first teach the whole class the strategies listed for comprehension. Once the students were familiar with the strategies and able to use them (even if they weren’t yet mastered), then I would have them share their thoughts at the end of silent reading. I would do a lot of modeling while teaching the strategies and encourage them to try using all of them at some point. If students were going to be able to really use these strategies to improve their comprehension, then they would also need different supplies available to them. They would need supplies to create images; post-it’s to record questions, and paper and graphic organizers to record their thoughts. Another thing they would need is time to think and plan for what they want to share and time to create something to share if needed (pictures, notes, etc.).
When I think about what I do when I read a book that I really enjoy, I realize that I always talk to other people and discuss the book with them. Even if they haven’t read it, I still tell them about it and try to get them interested in reading it. I know students would love to share their ideas and it would be a valuable way to spend class time. What I’m not sure of is why I haven’t done it before now. I teach them strategies and we use them as a whole class, but there isn’t enough time for meaningful discussion because I don’t schedule enough time. We do writing every day and they are given time to share their work. They are always excited to share and put maximum effort into their writing because they know that they are going to get the chance to stand in front of the class and tell about it. What a simple way to motivate kids.