Independent Reading

We started the first day of school with independent reading. The students “read” during the Work Period of the Readers’ Workshop from genre baskets of books on their table. By now most kindergartners have brought in their own book bin. A name label has been added and a colored dot to indicate the color table where the child sits (see picture on the left). Often we are asked - what in the world can you put in independent book bins when the children can’t read?! In this second week of school, each child was invited to bring in two favorite books from home. Many of the youngsters brought books from their home library and couldn’t wait to share their favorites with their friends. Of course, all children don’t have the luxury of a home library and so today they will be invited to select two books from the classroom library.

In addition each child has a Nursery Rhyme folder in his book bin. In this folder a page is reserved for the words and a picture of each of the 12 nursery rhymes that are introduced during Skills Block. As the Work Period begins in the Readers’ Workshop you can hear the buzz of children "reading." Through the buzz you can always hear several children singing or saying a nursery rhyme as they point to each word. Of course, their finger is not always in the right place, but they have learned that the letters hold the meaning.


Next week each child will be invited to add an alphabet book from the ABC basket in the classroom library to each book bin. Now that is “reading” kindergarten-style!