Reasons NOT to schedule SSR first thing on a Monday Morning
SSR. DEAR time. Drop Everything And Read. Silent Sustained Reading. Self-Selected Reading. As some kids say it (but not within earshot of the teacher) Sit down, Shut up, and Read.
Our normal computer lab time was cancelled due to the lab being used for state testing. I substituted time my students enjoy: extra silent reading. Normally they'd take a little time to find their books and magazines and then settle down to enjoy them. Today? Nope. But why? In typical teacher form, I analyzed the situation. Here's the end data.
Kids who haven’t eaten well all weekend are too hungry to concentrate.
Good readers finished their books at home and have nothing to read.
NFL football fans who are still depressed after yesterday's game might not want to read the Sports magazine for Kids they picked out last week.
The one who broke his glasses Saturday in Pop Warner football hasn't had them replaced yet and can't read a word.
Stumble It!
Our normal computer lab time was cancelled due to the lab being used for state testing. I substituted time my students enjoy: extra silent reading. Normally they'd take a little time to find their books and magazines and then settle down to enjoy them. Today? Nope. But why? In typical teacher form, I analyzed the situation. Here's the end data.
Kids who haven’t eaten well all weekend are too hungry to concentrate.
Children from (shall we say) "unstructured" homes have forgotten how to behave in school.
Sleepy kids aren’t awake enough to keep their heads up.
Kids who have been off their meds all weekend haven’t come down yet and won't until their morning dose kicks in.
Good readers finished their books at home and have nothing to read.
NFL football fans who are still depressed after yesterday's game might not want to read the Sports magazine for Kids they picked out last week.
The one who broke his glasses Saturday in Pop Warner football hasn't had them replaced yet and can't read a word.
Forgetful kids don’t have a clue where their books might be. Home? Locker? Desk? Did I have a book on Friday?
Maybe I'll stick to SSR on Fridays. Oh, no, can't do that -- they're already checking out mentally for the weekend, meds are wearing off, kids who don't eat well on weekends are starting to worry....
Labels: So many books: So little time, teachers live at school
Stumble It!
posted @7:03 AM
2 Comments:
All excellent reasons. Do you just keep a stack of magazines handy?
Seth was one of those sleepy kids this morning. And now I'm REALLY hoping his meds kicked in before he set foot in his classroom.
And what you said here is interesting. He seems more wound up on the weekends when he's off the meds. I thought maybe I was just imagining it...
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