Drop Everything and Read

On Tuesday our district held Drop Everything and Read Day (also called "Every Child, Every Seat, Everyone Reading") to emphasize the importance of reading. All of the students and staff took thirty minutes to enjoy our favorite books! Fellow teachers, I keep several large floor pillows stored under my easel for the students to lounge around on while reading and writing during stations time. They were perfect for D.E.A.R. time. I also have a "couch" in our classroom library made out of an infant crib mattress, a fitted sheet, and a body pillow. We have several different stuffed animals that "live" on the couch and on the shelves for the students to read to.

D.E.A.R.

Today we had D.E.A.R. time! What is D.E.A.R. time? It is when we drop everything and read! The students got to choose their favorite books, stretch out and relax, and read for about twenty minutes. I encourage you to have your child read at home just for fun as often as possible. Below are a few pictures of the students reading.

D.E.A.R.

Last week we had D.E.A.R. time in our classroom, as did all classes in Grand Prairie ISD. D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything And Read. The students had a great time relaxing with their favorite books. D.E.A.R time is a period of silent sustained reading where students read just for fun. Recreational reading has a proven positive correlation with a student's reading ability. As Dr. Seuss said, "The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." I encourage you to have your child read at home every day for at least twenty minutes outside of their guided reading homework book. In class, the students read a book of their choice silently for the first fifteen minutes of class. After reading, three volunteers share information about their book including the title, author, and their favorite part of the story. After sharing, the students answer three questions about the book from their classmates.