Kaylee Foster’s October Blog- Miller (2013), Section 1: Not This: Is There Enough Time? And is Time Enough to Support Independent Reading?

I feel confident that every teacher would agree on the fact that they need more time in a day. However, Debbie Miller makes a valid point by forcing educators to think about how much time is actually being utilized in a day. From transitions to morning announcements to doing ineffective activities…we have to ask ourselves the question, are we actually taking advantage of every second of every day? This has really made me think about my own classroom management system. Lining up for example, shouldn’t take as long as it does to get from point “a” to point “b”, morning routines, such as making lunch choice and getting unpacked for the day should take less time. After reflecting on a typical day in the Foster classroom I have found that several minutes "go wasted" that could be saved. I didn’t realize how fast those minutes can actually add up. It ultimately comes down to the teacher and their willingness to give up certain things to ensure that independent reading time is top priority. I honestly believe that teachers have to feel strongly about the positive effects that independent reading HAS on the students in order for them to take action and begin getting rid of other time consuming activities.

 This brings me to, what is independent reading? I love the way Miller states that “independent reading in silence without the kind of support described in this book means these children suffer in silence.” This was a huge wake-up call for me personally. This year I began doing reading conferences with my students for the first time and I have truly been amazed at not only how much I have gotten to know my students but also how many teaching opportunities have presented itself. I believe in independent reading time so I have carved out at least 30 minutes of not just reading time but also conferencing with the students. If you were to walk into my classroom during this time you would find students reading wherever they would like, books scattered everywhere (I’m a super organized person but have decided to get over that), quiet for the most part but allowing students to read out loud quietly is excepted, and most importantly you would find the teacher listening and talking with the students.  My goal is to conference with 4-5 children each day for about five minutes. This is probably one of the best decisions I have made so far in my teaching career. I now understand the importance of students needing time to read and the importance of the teacher providing the students with the appropriate tools to succeed. The ball is in your court…what will you choose?