Hot Dots for Hot Shots!

My Students: "Mrs. Wagner ... now what can I do?" is the question I get asked every day. My reply of "read a book" sometimes goes into deaf ears, but I'm ready to give them something to as...

My Project: I am requesting an independent reading skills practice program called "Hot Dots". This program uses high interest, short paragraphs to reinforce the lessons and reading strate... more»

My Students: "Mrs. Wagner ... now what can I do?" is the question I get asked every day. My reply of "read a book" sometimes goes into deaf ears, but I'm ready to give them something to ask for!

The students in my room come from very poor and broken families. They have a lot more on their minds than school most of the time, and I see them struggle to keep up with the curriculum. Reading is a constant struggle for a majority of them, and although they can read the words, comprehension is the lowest it's been in years. Many of the students have open CPS cases or have at least one member of their family in jail. They are given very little encouragement at home, and see school as their safe place as parents see it as daycare. But despite this, they are wonderful, compassionate, and loving individuals. They work hard and have amazing potential. I am very blessed to work in such a place where I can see the possibilities through the madness.

My Project: I am requesting an independent reading skills practice program called "Hot Dots". This program uses high interest, short paragraphs to reinforce the lessons and reading strategies that have been taught in class. It comes with a "Hot Dot Pen" that allows instant feedback to let the student know if s/he has chosen the correct answer. I will be excited to see students happy to be reading and using something other than a pencil to practice the skills they will be learning. They will build their reading skills and confidence by getting automatic feedback from something other than a teacher or peer. For those that struggle with reading, I see this as an excellent tutorial for them, and something fun to do when their classroom work is completed.

I want students to be excited to practice the skills they need to become better readers. They need to feel successful without the stress of people watching them and judging them if they make a mistake. This would be an amazing addition to the "NOW WHAT?" area in my classroom. hide»