Read Aloud...not just story time!

I was once asked what I felt was the most important thing I did in the classroom. Without hesitation: Reading to my students. Many teachers feel they do not have time to do this; however, I make the time at the beginning of each class. Why is reading to students powerful? As a teacher, you can never assume all children have the background knowledge of a story or piece of text. I am amazed every year at the number of students who have never heard of fairy tales or nursery rhymes. It is critical for all students in my class to have a common text with which we can all refer or discuss, make connections, and just enjoy together. In future posts, I will talk about the texts I use and why. I will leave you with this: every day, my students come into class asking if I intend to read to them. :)