Reading: mini-slices

During the Slice of Life Story Challenge in March people are invited to write a slice every day for 31 days. You can read the slices at Two Writing Teachers.

Read aloud:
On Friday I asked my students to give a short summary of our week for our class blog. One group wrote about read aloud "This week  Ms.Terje  is reading The Tale of Desperaux for  snack/read aloud and we do work, like for example we tell the feelings of the main character. We learn how to write about reading. We think along when the teacher reads. You get to listen to a story. "
I looked at the text and felt that it wasn't bringing out the best of their reading thinking nor their writing skills. I asked them to at least say what the story is about.
One student said, "It's about bravery."
Before I had a chance to ask for elaboration, the smallest boy in the class responded, "It's not only about bravery. It's about being different, and it tells you how some might feel when you treat them badly because they are different."


Literature Circle:
I am reading Rules with two fifth and two third graders. These readers are independent and most of the time I just sit back and let them discuss the book. They have moved away from reading notes and try to have a natural conversation. I try to take notes as much as possible. During one meeting they were talking about being different and my third grade girl said, "Once I went to a birthday and there was a girl who was different. But it doesn't mean that you can say "Arrgh" or "Ohh." It's not their fault, it's their life, you can't be the judge. You have to understand that they are different, you have to accept and respect them."


You can guess how I felt hearing these words.