Slice of Life

Slice of Life
Join the slicing for the month of March

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Community Read Aloud

Yesterday was "Community Read Aloud" when volunteers across the community go into schools and read to kids. My volunteer arrived for a nine o'clock read ten minutes early. I did not know her and wondered how it would go. Not everyone understands how to read to twenty kids and keep them all interested.
Once the children were settled, she pulled out her first book, one I had never heard before. I held my breath as she told the kids the author was from Ireland. She immediately followed up with a Saint Patrick's Day connection and my kids nodded. The story was about a young boy who ate books. My kids sat entranced as she read, shared the pictures, and then paraphrased each page as she made her way through the book. She smiled when kids burst out with comments. She stopped when they felt a need to connect. She laughed when they laughed. I exhaled.
A second book was pulled from her bag and she asked, "May I read another one?" I nodded and smiled. The kids clapped. She prepared the kids for the rich language living between the covers of the book by front loading them with the words and their meanings. She gave an overview about what was going to happen. This book was about a young girl who was blowing bubbles. Her baby sister got caught up in a bubble and floated away. Although the book was filled with unknown vocabulary and wild character names, my kids followed the journey and squealed with delight. They made predictions about the outcome and she encouraged them to do so.
Another book was pulled from the bag...(one she had found in our library while waiting to read).
This woman is a treasure. She understands what a good read aloud is all about. Her love for books is infectious. She had my class mesmerized for thirty minutes and this is not an easy class. She challenged them intellectually and entertained them at the same time.
 This is the fourth year I have participated in "Community Read Aloud". Each year I have been delighted with the books chosen by the reader, the delivery of the literature, and the commitment of the people coming into my classroom. Thank you Success by Six for sponsoring such a worth while event. Thank you Sue, for taking the time to show my students your love of reading and inspiring them to continue to read.

11 comments:

  1. What a great event. What was the book that she read (about a boy who eats books? Curious). She sounds like a real gem, who understands the pacing and voice of reading aloud a story to a classroom full of kids.
    Kevin

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  2. Yeah - we need the titles! Even though I know this is so not about the books. Actually, thinking about it...it totally makes sense you left the titles out - smart! You wanted to be sure the focus was on her adept skill as a story teller. I love the line, "She prepared the kids for the rich language living between the covers of the book..." I love that, "living between the covers of the book." She really did make reading and those stories come to life! And I bet 10 minutes early made you nervous too. So good you can go with the flow! Thanks for letting us into your teaching life!

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  3. "The Incredible Book Eating Boy"...I can't remember the title of the bubble baby but I will look for it.

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  4. What a great tradition you have going on. I like how you started us all off being little worried and then allowed us to discover together with you what a treasure Sue was.

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  5. The read aloud is an art form, really - what a gift this reader was to your classroom!

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  6. How fun. I have some district and community members coming into read to students on Tuesday For our Cat in the Hat day.

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  7. A rich and inspiring event in the lives of all concerned Wanda, and you captured the mood so clearly. No matter what age we are, nothing beats a good 'read aloud.' It sounds like you have unearthed a living treasure in the process...

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  8. What a great opportunity! This is so inspirational that I am going to mention it at my daughter's school. I am always amazed how much an effective read aloud can benefit students.

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  9. That is very cool. What a wonderful thing. And, how lucky you were to have that lady come. Our school recently had an NBA player come and read to the entire school. I was worried that the students might not understand him, or that he wouldn't keep the crowd interested. We didn't know who was coming until the second he showed up. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he read and the great way he interacted with the students.

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  10. Yes it is an art form as Tara says. Thank you for describing this exchange so well and raising it up for us to consider.

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  11. Hey, Wanda! Now I can keep track of what's going on in your life, at least in March! Sue sounds like she was wonderful with the students. The readers have always been good, but sometimes they are outstanding! So nice that the students were able to get someone who loves books and who can enrich their lives.

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