A Teacher's Daze

A great book can ignite a love of reading for a lifetime.   However, it has been my experience that getting some students to read is the equivalent of dragging an ornery horse to water, and although dying of thirst, the horse refuses to drink.   As all good language arts’ teachers do, I have taken my class to the library and with pride, watched students eagerly walk straight to the book or series they cannot wait to read.   Equally often, I have seen students, who have no real intent to check out a particular book, but do an excellent job looking absorbed, scanning shelves, eyes squinted, looking at book spines, while stealthily whispering to the friend next to them who is doing the same scan, squint routine about the latest drama fluttering around the halls of a typical middle school.  Of course, as a teacher, I know this is normal behavior, any time students are outside the structure of the classroom and their regular routine, so often I have watched with a mixture...

        Use Audiobooks in the classroom to engage reluctant readers The power of using audiobooks in the classroom cannot be stressed enough.  As a classroom teacher, for 27 years, I can say, without a doubt, that an audio device, such as affordable iPods, shown in the picture, above, is one of the most affordable ways to purchase iPods for groups in your classroom.  I found refurbished iPods on amazon.com and found great deals, especially when purchasing the earlier generation iPods.  Next, choose exciting books that will capture your students attention, within the first few pages.  Soon, you will find that students will be asking when they can read in their “reading group.”  Students who have never read a “real” chapter book have found how much they enjoy reading.   Reading fluently reflects a student’s success, throughout school, as well as throughout their entire life!  I hope this post encourages you to use audiobooks in your c...