SLICE 2013 - 11 of 31 The number 531

The number 531 jumped out at me today.  Sounds like a random number, right?  It's not the number of students in my room.  It's not the the number of classroom pets.  It's not the number of toes we all have.  It's not the number of minutes left until Spring Break.

In the life of a kindergarten teacher teaching two classes filled with early and emerging readers, it's the number of books checked out of the book room right now?  Holy cats!  This number won't look like this tomorrow.  I returned a stack today and will collect another stack to return tomorrow.  Then parent volunteers can check those books in and the number might go down about 150 books.

It's that time of the year when everything we have talked about and learned about reading needs to come into play.  I'm right in the midst of turning around the books in their book boxes.  Gathering 8-10 titles at their independent reading level if they are using their reading strategies which we call our Good Reader's Tools.  Each child has four strategies on a laminated card in their book box to help foster independence.  I was doing a conference today with a friend when the friend sitting next to her caught my attention.  She was working through a new title with independence and my heart just radiated with joy.  I was worried a bit about this little friend and I worry no more.  For that small moment, that slice of my day I felt joy.  Sometimes it's watching from a far and not being directly engaged for us to experience the joy our teaching can bring.  I hope you had a moment of joy today or find one tomorrow and share with us your story.