I didn't go to a school that did this, but I don't think it was as popular when I was in elementary school. I wish I did, though. It would have been fun to listen to others read when I was younger, and then read on my own as I got older just because it was a reading day.
So I would probably use March 2nd as an SSR day if I were to end up in a school that doesn't participate in Read Across America Day, even though all schools should just so students can gain independence and learn to tolerate reading if students aren't apt to pick up a book on their own.
I'm with you, Erin. I am a big proponent of SSR. Often times I feel that students say they don't like to read...but if you look at their out of school life they read all the time. I taught reluctant readers my last year at University High School and incorporated SSR for 25 minutes a day. I told students to bring anything they wanted to read and had students also donate magazines for extra credit in an effort to have a mini library. I was surprised that my "reluctant readers" engaged in reading. Though magazines are very visual, I would catch them reading articles that interest them. I think that is a nice way to lead them into lit.
ReplyDeleteI feel that schools have been taking reading a lot more seriously and taking more time out of the day for it. Last year I helped run a program at a public library where we would read to kids. It was a lot of fun, and the kids enjoyed it a lot. It also gave the teachers a little bit of a break I think, although controlling them on a trip to the library is no easy task I'm sure...
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