The first week of school has come and gone, and I have just finished grading my students' first assignment in their reader's note books--a reading timeline which starts at their earliest memories of reading to the present.
I like to have the students start with this assignnment in their reader's note books because the purpose of it is for the students to reflect on their reading memories. By showing them an example of mine, I model how I think back to my earliest memory of my mom reading to me at night. I then continue discussing the memories of the books I loved and remembered through high school.
As this assignment is about reflection, not an art lesson, I leave it up to them whether or not they will color and decorate their work. I like pictures, so my timeline has lots, but the purpose of the assignment is for them to reflect and process memories about reading and books----not to decorate.
The work they do on this assignment reveals much about them as a reader. I can instantly tell who has many memories about reading, and who has few. And most relevant to me, I can identify the students who are not readers yet--the ones that I will work especially close with this year to help find a passion for reading. My grading on this assignment is a completion grade. If the student only writes the titles of books with no reflections, I only give partial credit, but I do let them know if they add the reflection, I will give them points back to equal a 100. The goal is not to play "gotcha," but to have the student think about his/her reading life.
Having few reading memories could indicate that a student finds it difficult to comprehend text and/or are not readers. Sometimes, students will even reveal direct information about themselves as when one boy this year wrote," I don't really finish books." Another boy wrote, "In third and fourth grade, I mostly just waited for new books to come out." This translates to me that "waiting for new books" was his cover story. Since he didn't write any titles or memories about those books, chances are he didn't read any. There are myriad reasons for both boys' lack of reading: they attmepted books that were too hard, they are reading below grade level, they could be dyslexic, they may never have learned how to find a book they are interested in.....my job will be to solve this mystery and equip them with what they need to begin to have a passion for reading. And to find that one book that lights the fire!
At the end of the year, I will ask the students to again reflect on their reading memories--this time specifically about 6th grade. I will ask them to think about how they have changed as a reader? How have they remained the same? What are their memories about the books they have read this year?
And so the journey begins! Read on!
As this assignment is about reflection, not an art lesson, I leave it up to them whether or not they will color and decorate their work. I like pictures, so my timeline has lots, but the purpose of the assignment is for them to reflect and process memories about reading and books----not to decorate.
The work they do on this assignment reveals much about them as a reader. I can instantly tell who has many memories about reading, and who has few. And most relevant to me, I can identify the students who are not readers yet--the ones that I will work especially close with this year to help find a passion for reading. My grading on this assignment is a completion grade. If the student only writes the titles of books with no reflections, I only give partial credit, but I do let them know if they add the reflection, I will give them points back to equal a 100. The goal is not to play "gotcha," but to have the student think about his/her reading life.
Having few reading memories could indicate that a student finds it difficult to comprehend text and/or are not readers. Sometimes, students will even reveal direct information about themselves as when one boy this year wrote," I don't really finish books." Another boy wrote, "In third and fourth grade, I mostly just waited for new books to come out." This translates to me that "waiting for new books" was his cover story. Since he didn't write any titles or memories about those books, chances are he didn't read any. There are myriad reasons for both boys' lack of reading: they attmepted books that were too hard, they are reading below grade level, they could be dyslexic, they may never have learned how to find a book they are interested in.....my job will be to solve this mystery and equip them with what they need to begin to have a passion for reading. And to find that one book that lights the fire!
At the end of the year, I will ask the students to again reflect on their reading memories--this time specifically about 6th grade. I will ask them to think about how they have changed as a reader? How have they remained the same? What are their memories about the books they have read this year?
And so the journey begins! Read on!
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