I live for moments like these...
Today we were discussing narratives in class. I was really just going over the elements of a narrative because my minions will be working on a narrative throughout our unit on mythology.
I am really trying to work more Laura Robb read alouds in class this year. Sometimes for a purpose, like today, and sometimes just for the enjoyment of reading to them for 5 minutes to share a good book.
Today after discussing the elements of a narrative I shared one of my favorite narratives that I recently read with my minions. The book is called, "A Child Called It." This is a true story that is heartbreaking, but has a happy ending eventually which is good to know. It is about a boy who is abused by his mother, but it talks about all that he went through and how he overcame it all in the end.
Yes, this is probably a bit controversial of a book. I do not have any students this year that have ever experienced any kind of harm in the way that David does in the book, therefore I thought it was safe to do.
As a reader, I had to find out what happened to David. From page 1 I was hooked...and guess what? The same thing happened to my kids today.
The bell rang after one of my hardest classes was about to leave for their next hour and the kids said, "Please, can you read more tomorrow?"
Can't wait to share my next read aloud! I live for these little moments.
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"Can you read more tomorrow?" What beautiful words for a teacher to hear! I love A Child Called It. Do you read entire books as read alouds, or do you just read parts to get them hooked? I am thinking of incorporating more read alouds so that is why I was wondering what works best for you.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather! Right now I am planning on just sharing a book each day to get them hooked. I really love books like A Child Called It because they are part of a series so the kids can continue to read about Dave and his life. Laura Robb talks a lot about sharing a part of the book with the kids (such as just reading the first couple of pages like I did today) or even just picking up the book and reading the back out loud to try to hook them. I think the kids really pick up on our enthusiasm about books too, so if you're excited to share it they are more likely to think it is even more awesome. :)
DeleteHi, I really enjoy your blog! I am also a 6th grade reading teacher and can absolutely relate to the amazing words uttered by all-too-often reluctant readers "oh no we're out of time... when can we read more?" That's fantastic! The comment you made about knowing that the content of the book would not stir up any issues for your students because you know none of them have had experiences that would be relative, worries me. It worries me because you have absolutely no idea what battles your kids are dealing with. There are frighteningly so many students who are abused and neglected... I strongly believe in the power of books in terms of opening up topics for conversation. I know how hard it is to teach a book that may be viewed as controversial by parents and/or administrators but it is such a quality piece of literature and will offer the opportunity to delve into topics that otherwise may never be discussed in this child's life that may desperately need to be discussed. I hope you keep doing the wonderful work you're doing. And, I hope you realize that the children you encounter are dealing with things you may have no idea about... a former student of mine, I came to know years later only because of court documents, had been physically and emotionally abused since he was adopted at the age of 9. Before he was adopted his biological mother was a drug-addict who often left him around drugs and John's while she got money to support her habit. The man who he thought was his biological father was encouraged by his girlfriend to insist on a paternity test and when it was disovered he was not the father he abandoned the child that same day. No one in his family wanted him. He went into foster care where he endured sexual abuse. He was finally adopted a year later. When he was in my class he was a wonderful, sweet, kind, hard-working young man and there were no signs of the horrors of his life. He wanted so badly to be a part of a family that he would never let on to the life he had lived and was continuing to live. He was adopted and then beaten nearly daily and emotionally abused to the point where years later (after no one in his life was aware and so this appeared to come out of nowhere) this child, now a teenager in high school, tried to kill his abusive adoptive father. This tragedy has completely changed me as a person and as a teacher, as I'm sure you can imagine. I apologize to make such a long post, but this is so much a part of me and my fears that I just wanted to caution you as I wish I would have been cautioned... you have no idea what these kids are going through in their lives. Sometimes there are ways to know, sometimes there are signs, sometimes there are not. Best to you and your little "minions"
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