Back to School Let the Fun Begin

This first week back to school was wonderful and frustrating at the same time. The reading teachers have been informed that we will have district people in our rooms for a visit, one day a week for the next six weeks. They say it is not a fidelity check, eventhough they gave us a 3 page paper of what they will be looking for. They say they just want to make sure we have everything we need. I don't know why it takes 6 visits to figure that out. I did get some reading in. I read two books this morning and decided to write the reviews then and there. I have finished The Soldier's of the Cross by J. Laurence Stillwell, Dreamer by Phillip L. Davidson and Receive Me Falling by Erika Robuck. Imust wait and write their reviews later as I have a few lessons to prepare for Monday. All in all the parents who came to our open house on Thursday were not excited when they saw the program I was teaching (especially parents of six students who were repeating my class). They were excited to learn I was requiring a minimum number of books to be read by the end of the year and they will be writing reflections journals and doing other reading/literacy related things. The students were honest and explained why they didn't like reading. For one student it was being forced to take Accelerated Reader tests. He like to read but couldn't remember the details to pass the test. Therefore he couldn't get the required points and his grades went down. Why read if he couldn't pass the test? Sound familiar? I won't give up on these kids. With some time I can figure out where they are having problems. They are so close to passing our state test. One mother confided her child missed passing by one point. For that she is missing an elective and stuck in my reading class. She happens to like reading. It was great to have kids ask if they could check books out that night. My returning wanted to know if I had met my goal and I proudly told them I had and that I would post the results on Monday. I like the old saying, "If you're given lemons then make lemonade". I have been given lemons with this scripted program but I am going to make lemonade and lemon pie and whatever else I can from it. Happy reading to all.