Free to Read

My Students

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."- Frederick Douglass. Each year I ask my students what they want to learn. They always respond, "We want to learn to read!" I want to provide my students with books that engage, entertain and teach lessons and are written at each level.

I have a classroom of 26 first graders who are just dying to read!

They love to hear me read aloud and listen intently to every word that comes out of my mouth. I love to see them act out stories as I read books to them. Each and every child in my room is bursting with the background knowledge, stamina, and enthusiasm that it takes to become an outstanding reader. Most of my children are visual and hands-on learners. They love to help each other learn. These children come from various backgrounds. Many of them want for nothing while others are just getting by. Although my children come from many different home situations,their parents are extremely supportive. They will work with me to bring the gift of reading to their children.

My Project

It is a disturbing fact that more than 88% of children who have difficulty reading at the end of first grade display similar difficulties at the end of fourth grade. It is important that my first grade classroom has a variety of books at many different reading levels to meet the needs of all of my students. Children are motivated to read to pursue their own interests. Many children prefer to read a variety of non-fiction as well as fiction books. As a child's stamina increases he/she needs an even wider selection of books to choose from. Imagine the student's disappointment when they have read all the books at their level and there aren't any more to read. Pretty disappointing! Currently the books I have for first grade readers are limited. I have a lot of gaps in my classroom library. Each child needs at least 12 books to read a week. That adds up to a lot of books to keep building my students' reading stamina and interests!

Each week students will fill a bin with 12 books to read during our 45 min.

independent reading time. These books must be "œjust right" for each reader, so they can read independently and feel successful as a reader. Children will use these books to build their reading stamina, become experts with all of the many skills involved in reading, and fall in love with reading! They will use these books to set goals for their reading. They will challenge themselves each day to become a better reader.