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I started and deleted 3 attempts to write this slice. Sometimes I am hesitant to post my thoughts. However, I am really running out of time. So, my post is going to be short and sweet.
Sometimes, I get to take a step out of my busy schedule and spend some time with students. and I very much miss the daily interactions with students. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to listen to six first grade students reading and responding to comprehension questions. On some level, I really love first graders, They enjoy working with you 1:1 and they can be quite entertaining. Additionally, if you have not worked with first graders, you may not realize how diverse they are in their ability to read.
As I listened to them read and talk about what they read, I realized just how diverse they were. One student read beautifully with expression and more. He said he was reading Harry Potter at home. However, he really struggled to talk about or verbalize what he read. Another student was not as strong or fluent an oral reader, but he was able to discuss what he read with great accuracy and understanding. As I listened to him, I found myself impressed with how articulate he was and he was supposedly an English Language Learner.
When I listened to another student, I had to refrain from laughing. He had a tendency to skip the endmarks and pause at the end of the line. No wonder he said ugh when he read "tasted with your tongue a butterfly". It really read "....tasted with your tongue. A butterfly...". Another student whispered certain words, even when he said them correctly, since he did not confidently know the words.
There were more examples from the day, but I just wanted to share a few of my highlights. If you have not read with a child lately, go find one and read.
