Wild about Reading in Second Grade

CES kicked off our first Town Hall Meeting of the year on September 15th by launching a new initiative called  “Wild about Reading."  A variety of staff members read the story Wild About Books by Judy Sierra to the students.  This story is about a librarian who brings books to a zoo and finds out that the animals are “wild” about the books. The hyenas like joke books, the scorpions write “stinging” reviews of their novels, the llamas like dramas, and much more!  On a recent visit to Nanci Brochinski's second grade classroom, I saw how "wild" her students were about reading during a fantastic Reading Workshop lesson!

Nanci's Reading Workshop is a place where students can truly thrive as readers. The purpose of her mini-lesson was to teach students how to "read through the pictures." She read aloud the story The Stray Dog by Marc Simont. It is the perfect picture book for modeling how to "read with pictures." Nanci engaged in a "think aloud" as she modeled this strategy, and then encouraged her students to try as well. The mini-lesson ended with Nanci restating the lesson's objective and challenging the students to try this strategy in their independent reading time.

Nanci has established clear routines for the Reading Workshop in her classroom and this was evident in how quickly her second graders easily transitioned to the independent reading portion of the workshop. They gathered their "just right book" boxes, found comfortable reading spots, and dove into their stories. Each child was completely engaged and, as Nancy Atwell would say, "in their reading zones."

I spoke to one student about her book choice. She told me that she was rereading this particular book because she "loved the characters so much" and found them so "funny." She also let me know that "Mrs. Brochinsky likes to reread her favorite books too!" Nanci's willingness to share her reading life with her students has clearly made an impact on them in this very short start to the year. Another student read two pages of her new story about puppies to me and exclaimed, "I noticed the pictures! Look! The mom is smiling when she is holding the new puppy. This shows she is happy!" Two children in the back used whisper phones to read quietly to themselves, while two students discussed their favorite part in a book they were reading together. Nanci was quietly having individual reading conferences with different students, and Ann Stratton was listening to another child read aloud. Each child in the classroom was deeply engaged with his/her book.

Nanci Brochinski's enthusiasm and passion for literacy has already helped her second graders become "wild about reading." I can't wait to keep reading with them throughout this school year!

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends;
they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors,
and the most patient of teachers.”
~ Charles W. Eliot ~