They have a new principal this year. The former one was, shall we say, less than ideal in many different ways. So, we had a meeting about literacy last week, and one teacher raised her hand to talk about the importance of reading to students. Apparently, the former principal did not like read-alouds, and she forbid teachers to read aloud to their class! So, reading stories to students is "new" in this school...!!! Also, I was going to have pajama day for my class this Thursday, because it is Read for the Record, and the story is Llama Llama Red Pajamas. I told the teachers on my team, and they were in complete shock. They all said, "We can just do that?!!" At my previous school, teachers had pajama day and laid-back day whenever they wanted. They were even more shocked to discover that I would be wearing pajamas-not just my students. It's like the Twilight Zone...Reading books?!! Pajama day?!! So weird!
Really? Forbid them to read to their classes? That is so crazy and horrible! I teach 6th grade, and read aloud almost every single day.
I've seen another thread on this exact same scenario. It wasn't yours was it? I couldn't believe it either. This world is going nuts here. We can't read aloud to students, teachers must say stuff at the exact same time by a script as a neighboring teacher, teachers writing detailed lesson plans off of a scripted lesson, parents finding silent reading oppressive... that's just to name a few. My mind gets boggled by the things I read on this board all the time. In fact, I told my coworker that while our school, as with any, has a good amount of room for improvement, all I have to do is read these boards to know we are blessed. Heck we have guest readers, Read-Ins, Reading Stars (rewards), etc. Yahoo for reading! Amazing, that's all I have to say. We wonder why the public mistrusts education so much. (bang my head for me please).
Go for it! As mentioned, you are there at just the right time! The right time to open up their thinking. I say, keep bringing new, fun, exciting ways for children to learn. Keep pushing the thrill of reading to you students, coworkers, and parents! yeah for you!
Yes, that other thread was mine. I heard about this happening last year, before I moved to this school, and I couldn't believe it. Apparently, the former P thought that read-alouds were more appropriate for younger children (pre-k). They also were not allowed to do art projects. It's so interesting because, at my former school, the hallways would be decorated with projects and writing samples by this time of the year. At this school, the only teachers who have projects up are the teachers who are new to the school (including myself). I guess before this year if they wanted to hang up any sort of writing, it had to be absolutely perfect or the P would write down any errors and demand the teacher change them. So, kids apparently can't make mistakes.
I'm really happy to hear things are changing, and that the staff at your school are lucky to have you with your 'revolutionary' new ideas! Inspire them! Have a great year!
I was just at a meeting that read aloud was discouraged because it doesn't give the eye ball to eye ball teaching. UGH
Ok, time to get out the stats and copy info from all the reading/writing gurus who state emphatically that reading to children encourages a love for reading, encourages interest in books, models correct reading, and broadens their knowledge base. Yikes. I will echo what has been said: I am so thankful that I have soooooo much freedom at my school!
Wow! I'm glad to hear you have a new P this year which will hopefully result in positive changes (as it seems it is already headed that way).
The old P now oversees all elementary curriculum for the district. So far everything has been alright, but I am worried about what might happen in the future.
Wow! I would have been in the old P's office with research showing the importance of reading aloud. At my last school we could do things like wear pj's like you are talking about. We did it as a grade level, not an individual classroom though. At my current school, I wouldn't even consider asking the P if I could do something like that.
If anyone ever told me that I couldn't read aloud to students, that would probably be the battle I would fight. I would probably risk my job over it. The research is so clear on this issue. Wow, you have a great opportunity to show these teachers what teaching can be.
Yes! It raises test scores Sarge, now you knew that! But that is what they will say. If I were in this situation, I would read aloud during snack time or lunch time. I would sneak in read alouds! Rebel that I am.
Same here. In fact, I sneaked things into the classroom all the time when I taught, like readers and writers workshop. Yup, did those instead of OCR. And, oh, gee, my kids did great in reading and writing.
Sarge, Yes it raises test scores. If you choose books a year or two above grade level, it will build vocabulary and lots of others that are on those "precious" standardized tests.
I cannot imagine no read alouds in kindergarten! I'm glad to hear that you came to this new school at the right time.
When I taught kinder, my kids learned SOOOO much just from read alouds alone. It's sad that the teachers at this school didn't stand up to the admin and say, "look, this is preposterous. Show us proof that read alouds are bad for kids, otherwise we are all going to continue to do read alouds in my class."
To be honest, I would probably do it anyway. If that principal even dared to write me up over reading to my students I would probably bring it to the attention of higher ups along with the research.
I think most of them did it anyway. One teacher was telling me today that a staff member stood up to the old P at a meeting last year about the read-aloud issue.
This would never fly at my school. There are far too many experienced, well-researched firecrackers on my staff. That principal would be running...
