Reflections on Classrooms That Work, Creating Readers, and Effective Reading Instruction

As I read this weeks required readings, I could not help but wonder about the ways in which my previous teachers made their classrooms work and turned their students into better readers.  When I get to thinking about what my teachers have done in the past I always wonder how I will be able to do the same thing in the future in my own classroom.  I believe these readings are really helpful with their strategies for helping children become good readers.

In the first two chapters of "Classrooms That Work" I found some really good points that I hope to be able to integrate into my future classrooms.  Some of the points that really stood out to me included integrating all of the subjects with reading and writing, managing classrooms well, and reading aloud.  I often think about this integration of subjects with each other in classrooms.  I know that often it seems to happen by accident, but by doing it purposefully it sounds as though it would be a great teaching tool that would "kill two birds with one stone" as some might say.  Classroom management is not only a good point made in the reading, but it is crucial.  Since I tend to be a very organized person I am very enthused about figuring out different ways of keeping my classroom and student organized.  Hearing how important that is makes me feel as though being an organized person is going to be of great help to myself.  Lastly, out of all of the points in the reading the one that stood out to me the most was the points made about reading aloud.  I used to love when my teachers would read aloud in the classroom.  As the reading said, I can think of at least three series of books that I read because a teacher read one of them to my class.  I cannot wait to read to my future classrooms and lead them into series that will interest and influence them.

The article on effective reading instruction by Richard Allington further emphasized some of the points from the other reading.  The main point that seemed to be standing out to me in both of these is the need to have multiple genres and times of reading material available in a classroom.  Not only this but there needs to be multiple books of different levels in the different genres so that different readers are able to find books that are fitting for them.  Looking back on my days in elementary school I cannot think of many classrooms that had this variety which makes me want to do a better job at implementing this into my classroom.

In closing, I am curious as to how many of my blog readers had similar experiences of picking up on book series' because of a teacher's read aloud?

Also, does anyone remember having classrooms with fully stocked reading centers, or was the library the only source of reading variety in your school?

A very organized classroom with a cozy reading center.

(Photo Credit: http://mrsriccaskindergarten.blogspot.com/)