Have you ever tried to eat a clock? It's very time consuming.

This week, I went for a full day on Tuesday and a full day on Friday. On Tuesday, I started my guided reading small group for 312, and that was extremely fun and eye opening. The group of students I work with have reading levels are on the first level of 1st grade. So, I worked with fluency and reading comprehension with them. I also learned where to check out the guided reading books, that I will use with my small group. I checked out 3 different guided reading packets for this week. My CE  told me about the new girl they picked up in their class about two weeks ago. She said that this child has moved four times this year, because of her family getting evicted from their houses. That fact right there, broke my heart so much. I hate that for the sweet little girl in my class. I watched the EC student in my class have the "light bulb" moment, and she answered a question so beautifully about the main idea of the novel we are reading. The EC student seemed like a whole new person today, and was paying attention to everything the entire day. She had a very good day, and even got her clip moved up for being so great! I got to go to playground with my students for the first time that day, and usually it is only my assistant teacher that is out there with two other 2nd grade classes. So, it was very interesting to see them all run around so wild for thirty minutes. I have already noticed so much growth from the first day I observed my class. During the second full day I was there, I went to specials like usual with my class, and when we got to art my students got very interesting. First, a little boy squashed his finger and was crying the entire class and this distracted him from work all day. Then my case study student had a meltdown in art, because the teacher called him down for not sharing. He would not leave the art room, so My CE had to walk all the way down there to pick him up and bring him back to the classroom. They finished their first novel today, and got to do a fun project on the book and they were all so engaged in this. The students got to get snow cones after lunch Friday for filling out their sticker charts and the students were so excited for this! My students are usually the worst on Fridays, but this Friday, they were the best they have ever been during anytime of the week. I was confused as to why, but I most definitely did not mind.  

Based on this week at school, I have already noticed that the small group of students that I work with are not motivated to read at all. They are all 2nd grade students who read on a kindergarten level, so I feel as if they feel like whats the point of reading since I’m not that great at it? Every time I do my guided reading small group, I compliment the students on what a good job they are doing reading, because they really have improved from the first day of school! However, that just is not enough, I want to know how to motivate my students to be better readers, so that is my research for this week. However, in guided reading, I do not always get to pick a book that sparks all of their interests and that is my dilemma. I found an article that has 10 wonderful tips for motivating students to read, and this article comes from Teach Hub, and has a ton of other interesting articles as well! 

1. Let students see you read. If you are going to encourage your students to read, then you better make sure you’re leading by example. Instead of grading papers when students are silent reading, read a book. Talk about the book that you are reading with them, and how you can’t wait to read before you go to bed.

2. Allow students to read the whole book before discussing it. Give students the opportunity to read the book before you pull it apart and talk about literary devices. Sometimes when all you do is talk about the plot, setting, or genre, you are taking all the fun and pleasure out of the story. Give students the chance to read it once through, then you can go chapter by chapter and dissect.

3. Invite a local author to class. A great way to promote a love of a reading is to invite an author to your classroom to discuss their book. This may be just the thing to inspire your students to read or even be an author themselves someday.

4. Teach students reading strategies. Many students don’t like to read because it’s hard for them. Teach children reading strategies (i.e. repeated reading) to help them feel confident and read fluently.

5. Set up a book club. Book clubs and reading groups are a great way for students to socialize and share their thoughts. This interaction makes reading so much more enjoyable, and it enhances their comprehension skills.

6. Let students choose their own books. Studies have shown that when students choose their own books it will boost their reading ability. Make sure you have an abundance of different genres and themes in your classroom library from which students may choose.

7. Use technology to create an e-book. Children love technology, and there is nothing is better than using these tools to get students to love reading. Download an app like Book Creator or ebook Magic and have students create their own works. Kids will love sharing their books with their peers and they can even submit their stories to iBooks.

8. Introduce students to a book series. Whether students are into adventures or fantasy novels, there is a book series for everyone. All you have to do is find out what your students love and get them to read the first selection. Once they get a taste of the set, they will definitely want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

9. Allow students to dislike books. Think of it like Facebook—students can give a “thumbs up” if they like it, or a “thumbs down” if they don’t. This will also help you choose future class novels as well.

10. Helps students see the importance of reading. Sometimes just knowing the facts can encourage someone to see their world differently. For example, knowing that maintaining a healthy lifestyle may help us live a longer life can motivate us to make better life choices. Laying out the benefits of reading may be the best way to enhance appreciation and encourage them to pick up a book on their own.

Now, not all of these are going to be useful in my guided reading group, but a good portion of them will. I especially like the last one about helping the students see the importance of reading, because once they see how important it is to learn to read in order to read carnival signs, warning signs, etc. They will be more motivated. This blog ties into the NCTS number 4, because I want to better facilitate learning to my students in a way that is engaging and motivating. 

http://www.teachhub.com/how-motivate-students-love-reading