Some of my best teaching is when I read a book to my class. The fact no one would do this in an observation shows the whole process up.
— Miss Smith (@HeyMissSmith) November 24, 2013 
We all deserve to escape into our imagination, into the world of books.... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/booknews/10468670/Michael-Morpurgo-Bring-back-story-time-in-every-school.html
THERE ISN'T A LOT MORE TO ADD. IT WORKS, WE SHOULD ALL DO IT WITHOUT MURMURING ABOUT TIME. WE OWE IT TO OUR CHILDREN TO READ THEM STORIES. IT SHOULD BE PART OF THEIR CHILDHOOD. IT IS NOT FLUFFY, FRIPPERY OR ANY OTHER NONSENSE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECT LINK TO TESTING.
FOR SOME CHILDREN THIS IS THE ONLY EVER TIME THEY WILL EVER HAVE THIS IN THEIR LIVES. IMAGINE THAT, IF YOU WILL, A CHILD WHO HAS NEVER BEEN READ TO......
IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. DON'T PUT IT OFF, FIND A BOOK (LOOK AT RECOMMENDATIONS, E MAIL ME FOR IDEAS BUT PLEASE DO IT) AND DELIGHT YOUR CHILDREN OR IF YOU ALREADY DO CARRY ON AS YOU ARE!!
PS of course there is a wealth of data out there suggesting that those children who develop a love of reading achieve more highly too. For this one you don't even need a lesson plan; see Miss. Smith's timely tweet up above :-)
Thank you Michael Morpurgo et al for saying this. An interesting read through the comments after the online Telegraph piece. Some stating categorically that this already happens in schools across the land. I'm not sure about that one :-(
I fear that the time and NC content issue has eroded this wonderful, relaxing, joyful moment in our primary schools. When I've been visiting schools it has been heartening to hear many of them say they do read to their class. However, there are still a surprising amount who are not; that wonderful feeling of being engaged with a story with no pressure, no strings attached in terms of being corrected-just getting lost in imagination is not yet embedded in all our children.
I remember being read to a lot in my primary school. I'm very old so it was top infants (that's Yr 2 to you young whippersnappers) when I heard 'The Magic Faraway Tree'. In Top Juniors (Year 6 to the same folk) we had a reading corner; taking it in turns to 'sit soft' and by the teacher who sat there too. Her name was Mrs. Quick and she read 'Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH' to us. Many times wanting the story to carry on, many times reading a story and the class wanting it to be carried on-a groan even when it's the end of the day if we've come to a cliff hanger (Or re named cling holder thanks to Grace)-it's one of the BEST bits of being a teacher, it really, really is AND Headteacher actually.
If you have just come to the end of the blog would you mind awfully adding your favourites: do you remember being read to in school and, if so, what books made an impact? I'm sure you're much better than me collecting fantastic titles for class books. As they used to say on 'We are the champions' "AWAY Y' GO....."
THERE ISN'T A LOT MORE TO ADD. IT WORKS, WE SHOULD ALL DO IT WITHOUT MURMURING ABOUT TIME. WE OWE IT TO OUR CHILDREN TO READ THEM STORIES. IT SHOULD BE PART OF THEIR CHILDHOOD. IT IS NOT FLUFFY, FRIPPERY OR ANY OTHER NONSENSE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECT LINK TO TESTING.
FOR SOME CHILDREN THIS IS THE ONLY EVER TIME THEY WILL EVER HAVE THIS IN THEIR LIVES. IMAGINE THAT, IF YOU WILL, A CHILD WHO HAS NEVER BEEN READ TO......
IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH. DON'T PUT IT OFF, FIND A BOOK (LOOK AT RECOMMENDATIONS, E MAIL ME FOR IDEAS BUT PLEASE DO IT) AND DELIGHT YOUR CHILDREN OR IF YOU ALREADY DO CARRY ON AS YOU ARE!!
PS of course there is a wealth of data out there suggesting that those children who develop a love of reading achieve more highly too. For this one you don't even need a lesson plan; see Miss. Smith's timely tweet up above :-)
Thank you Michael Morpurgo et al for saying this. An interesting read through the comments after the online Telegraph piece. Some stating categorically that this already happens in schools across the land. I'm not sure about that one :-(
I fear that the time and NC content issue has eroded this wonderful, relaxing, joyful moment in our primary schools. When I've been visiting schools it has been heartening to hear many of them say they do read to their class. However, there are still a surprising amount who are not; that wonderful feeling of being engaged with a story with no pressure, no strings attached in terms of being corrected-just getting lost in imagination is not yet embedded in all our children.
I remember being read to a lot in my primary school. I'm very old so it was top infants (that's Yr 2 to you young whippersnappers) when I heard 'The Magic Faraway Tree'. In Top Juniors (Year 6 to the same folk) we had a reading corner; taking it in turns to 'sit soft' and by the teacher who sat there too. Her name was Mrs. Quick and she read 'Mrs. Frisby and the rats of NIMH' to us. Many times wanting the story to carry on, many times reading a story and the class wanting it to be carried on-a groan even when it's the end of the day if we've come to a cliff hanger (Or re named cling holder thanks to Grace)-it's one of the BEST bits of being a teacher, it really, really is AND Headteacher actually.
If you have just come to the end of the blog would you mind awfully adding your favourites: do you remember being read to in school and, if so, what books made an impact? I'm sure you're much better than me collecting fantastic titles for class books. As they used to say on 'We are the champions' "AWAY Y' GO....."
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