Keeping on with the reading

What is really closest to my heart these days is the time I spend reading with the third graders in our local school. I promised that since I believe in the huge boost it gives kids to read aloud to them, I would commit to doing it every day except Friday.

So, we are well into October and we have read a Roald Dahl novel, "The trumpet of the Swam". "Mr. Popper's Penguins", some of Shel Silverstein's poems, some snake facts from the wonderful Florida series on nature.

When I peep around the doorway into their class I hear, "Ms Molly! Ms.Molly!" And I know they are eager. So am I!

I sit in a rocking chair and the kids get as close as they can, actually way too close! They constantly touch me on my toes and on my arms and tweak my earrings. One little girl, who has hearing issues, always sits very close on a chair and she hears my voice through the microphone I wear.  A few times in the reading session I must tell the kids they are WAY too close, I need air!

Sometimes it seems that the little deaf girl is pulled out of our reading circle for some kind of 'intervention'. I think that if they just left her to hear the story from beginning to end it would be better. She tells me this by constructing and writing me fan letters. She is telling me that the reading I do is important to her. I want to tell those well meaning folks to just stop! Let her scrunch up to me and listen to the story!

I read with great expression and drama and I constantly make eye contact with this kid or that. When I get to a word they might not understand, I ask them what they think it means. This is where the most advanced kids shine. They have a vague idea and sometimes they are right on.

Some kids are hard to reach but they take their cues from the others who are eagerly settling down to hear the story. They see that this is something desirable, but I don't know if they have ever given themselves permission to just enjoy the story.

One of my favorite kids, a chubby hispanic kid who is clearly new to English often sidles up to me to ask for library books that he knows I will be getting in the local library.

These kids are starved for experiences and conversation!

Fortunately, this third grade has a wonderful, warm, and organized teacher. She took a flier to include me as an everyday volunteer. She may not be a voracious reader herself, but she gets it about reading.

These kids, eight and nine, are not yet the kind of readers who devour a book a night, but I am thinking I can nudge them along on this trajectory.

In this school, one of many in our county, they have no dedicated librarian, and it shows! So, I check out many books from our town library for this class. The school library is pretty sparse and there is no one there like Michelle Martinez who knew the wants of every student.  Ah, well..

More to come.