It was amazing.
If one is ever even remotely near where you live, I would absolutely recommend making the trek. I had read positive reviews of it, but did not realize there was such a heavy focus on independent reading. This girl’s teacher heart was so filled to spend the day immersed in talking, listening and thinking about independent reading.
You have to get people on board with an idea for it to be successful. So whether you’re trying to convince other teachers at your school, your administration, or even yourself that it’s worth it, here’s some food for thought from the reading summit and my own reading.
Don’t have time for independent reading? The experts would argue that you actually don’t don’t have time.
There is a clear connection between motivation to read and performance. We have to give kids the time and space and access to develop that.
There’s no free love argument going on with independent reading. Research shows over and over again that students in classroom with dedicated time for independent reading perform better.
It’s time to get educated! Here are some articles to arm yourself with on the value of self selected reading and independent reading:
I’ve Got Research. Yes I Do. I’ve Got Research. How About You? by Donalyn Miller
Creating Classroom Cultures That Foster Reading Motivation by Linda Gambrell
The Impact of Trade Books on Reading Achievement from Booksource
The Joy and Power of Reading: A Summary of Research and Expert Opinion from Scholastic
Out of the Shadow of SSR: Real Teachers’ Classroom Independent Reading Practice by Sherry Sanden
You can read the other two parts here: