Reading: At Home

In order to promote literacy at home, I use reading calendars so my students can track their reading every night for each month. It is recommended that each student engages in a minimum of 20 minutes if they are in kindergarten through second grade and 30 minutes of reading per night if they are in third through sixth grade, but they are encouraged to read more if they would like. As a way to motivate my students to complete their reading and calendar per night, at the end of each month, I tally up the number of minutes they accumulated individually and the two with the highest amount is recognized in a school wide reading celebration where they, along with the rest of the winners, receive a certificate and a special treat like ice cream.

I also like to post my students' totals for each month on a class bulletin board so that their parents and others at the school can see the hard work my students are doing at home to become better readers!

Poem of the Day

I call my students
"my kids" because
in our year together
they aren't just kids
on my class list,
they become a part
of my heart.
-Anonymous

Poem of the Day

 

 Teachers

By: Kevin William Huff
 
Teachers
Paint minds
and guide thoughts
Share our achievements
and advise our faults
 
Inspire a Love
of knowledge and truth
As we light the path
Which leads our youth
 
For our future brightens
with each lesson we teach
Each smile we lengthen
Each goal we help reach
 
For the dawn of each poet
each philosopher and kind
Begins with a Teacher
And the wisdom we bring