First Week of School

Wow! I have an amazing class this year! The first day of school, we already launched our reading workshop -- complete with mini-lesson, independent reading for the students while I chatted with each of them about their book choice (note: we will need to have many conversations about what being in a "just right" book means!), and a sharing at the end. I was amazed at how engrossed all 24 of them were when I asked them to read independently!! How great is that?!!

After much debating with myself, I started the year with No Talking by Andrew Cements as our first read aloud. All the other choices I was thinking about will make their way into read aloud eventually, but, for now, these students are totally buying into the "no talking" contest in the book. They were cracking up when I read the part where one of the main characters, Lynsey, is in a verbal marathon about a sweater she wanted to buy -- it was so fun!! The fact that the book is about fifth graders is just one more hook for them.

So, first week means wonderful things in the classroom, but doesn't leave much time for blogging. Luckily, Bill has had a few things to blog lately. How great is his newly created reading space??!!

I hope your students, your own children, or children you may know all have as wonderful of a first week as I did!! I feel very blessed!