Claire Culbreth: Is There Enough Time? And Is Time Enough to Support Independent Reading?

In a nutshell, “providing long and growing periods of time for independent reading, along with focused instruction, is essential for children’s growth as readers.”

I came to realize long ago in my career that my students did not grow as readers if I did not provide time for reading, and to monitor that reading I had to conference one-on-one with students. We did many kinds of reading in my classroom: small guided reading groups; word work; whole class basal reading; shared reading of poems, or plays, or just parts of stories we liked the sound of; but the part of the reading day that would have my students groaning when it had to end was independent reading. To them, it was self-selected independent reading; they thought that they had complete choice in what they chose to read. Little did they know that I had that control through what I offered in my classroom library and in the books from which they could select to fill their book boxes. Would you say that I tricked them? I would! But, in a good way. Gradually, without them even noticing, they were reading more and more difficult texts, until finally they would say, “Hey, I can read this! I really am a reader!” What a great “ah ha” moment in a child’s life, and in a teacher’s life.

So, is there enough time in the school day to support independent reading? I believe that there is. There are no minutes to waste. Establish routines and procedures for every little thing for through these the day will run like clockwork. As I have heard Harry Wong say so many times, “the classroom will go on without you [the teacher]” if strong routines and procedures are in place. Be ready for the school day before it begins. If you wait to run some papers, the copier will be broken. If you’re searching for a book in the library, it will be checked out. Whatever can go wrong, will. So, take the time the afternoon before to be ready at the very least for the next day. Arrive in your classroom at least fifteen to twenty minutes prior to the time you pick up your students. You need a chance to get your thoughts around what you will be doing all day for the day to flow smoothly. Don’t stop instruction for the entire class to go the restroom. It would be very rare that everyone would need to go at the same time.  Make use of every minute of every school day; there is no way to go back in time for a redo.

Keep your conferencing brief. Listen to the student read. Ask a few questions about the reading and the book selection. Then, have a thoughtful conversation with the student about what they noticed in their reading. Many times they will point out their short comings for you. Don’t burden yourself with a long form to complete; just take some notes, but make them meaningful to you as the teacher so that you can bring the ideas back to the student at the next conference.

Don’t forget to allow the students to share as the independent reading time is coming to a close. Just those few minutes to talk about themselves as readers or to share something of importance to them will be so meaningful to your students.

Watch for the readers to grow. They will be sprouting before your eyes! I believe that independent reading is so important that it can’t not be a part of the school day.