The most common excuse for not giving children a time each day to pursue their own reading interests is that there is too much to do in order to prepare them for tests and fulfill curricular demands. I think about the unit in Canada I used to do every year faithfully. The activities I put together for it, the implementation...it was not a bad unit, but always in the back of my mind I would wonder what the heck they were going to know about Canada next year. My thought on that was probably nothing. It had me really thinking about what the kids would remember. What they would appreciate in their day. The state curriculum is well intentioned, but let's get real. Much of what they have down as being expected in any given grade one teacher couldn't accomplish in six years even if they wanted to, and when one analyzes some of the state curriculum content it's hard to believe anyone would want to.
I think teachers need to discover what is important in the curriculum and implement that. The state's not going to know if you offer a a daily silent reading period in place of a Canadian unit. Let's face it, nobody really gives a hoot about Social Studies anyway (I'm not picking on Social Studies, there is lots in the elementary teacher's inflated curriculum that could be reasonably sacrificed for better things) Besides, reading current affairs and nonfiction literature with historical context will provide some great information for the historical buffs. Once the fifth graders pass my New York State test in November I don't even bother to think about it.
What do I think about then. Silent Reading. My library has hundreds of books, magazines, and newspapers. They are organized into baskets by genre, displayed prominently on little stands around the room. I have two spinning book cases, a nice carpet, pillows....I'm not going to let that space go to waste. Every day I read aloud to the children then send them off to select and read their own material. it's often referred to as DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) time and it is not sacrificed for some other nonsensical task. Kids love it, and research can only support that reading independently helps develop fluency and intrinsic appreciation for the act of reading. If not, then why bother having children read at home at all?
I'm not necessarily trying to tell people about DEAR time. Anybody who is anybody in education has heard of this practice and it goes by other names as well, but what I do want to emphasize is its importance. I want to say shame on the elementary teacher who does not provide a classroom library and a daily drop everything and read time. Don't go there. Put it into your curriculum faithfully each day. On many occasions I meet with children individually during the time and discuss what they are reading, listen to them read, complete a reading assessment, or sometimes even read quietly myself. Put on the soft music in the background and it's like a day out at Barnes and Noble. A piece of reading heaven each day. The kids won't argue with that.
