I read Section 1 of the Debbie Miller book, No More
Independent Reading Without Support, and it made me laugh out loud—at
myself! We so often whine that we don’t
have time for this important thing or that important thing during the school
day. And it’s very true that there are
interruptions and requirements that seem unnecessary and they do take away
instructional time. However, Miller does
a good job of helping us see our day and our time allotment through a new set
of eyes. She expertly reiterates the
case that “providing long and growing periods of time for independent reading,
along with focused instruction, is essential for children’s growth as readers.”
(pg. 9) I’m looking forward to the next
sections and the encouraging way she builds a case for Independent Reading and
how to make it work for all children.
Martha, I felt like the school she visited could very well have been any elementary school in the United States. All schools could relate to at least some of the things mentioned by Miller. I am glad you are looking forward to finding out ways Miller suggests that IR can work for all children, even kindergartners. The work you all do in kindergarten is so important, as it is their first experiences with IR! Have you found it difficult to find enough time for IR? If so, where can you "make" more time for it?
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