Book Club Reflections

I am so glad to get back to my students this week.  It seems all the teacher workdays and holidays have made the last few weeks so choppy.  They now have a full four weeks before winter break to learn many exciting new things.  I am beginning to realize that I am nearing the end of my time with them. 

In writing all the many papers that I needed to complete this weekend, I realized just how much my Book Club impacted the students I have been working with.  When I received all their evaluations pre and post my meetings with them, they each had increased their lexile and STAR scores.  I am not saying that my time with them made all the difference, but I have to conclude that the time spent was worthwhile.   Not only did they begin to really blossom through the Book Club, but they each mastered some hurdles and obstacles that they have battled for some time.

For one, she just needed to learn to try without giving up or crying when it got a little more difficult.  As of today, I can proudly say that we have gone 3 weeks without one tear or one tantrum.  You may say this is not a step in the right direction, academically, but how will she thrive academically if she can’t push herself through the frustrations of possible failing?  I have become so proud of her small accomplishments over the last few weeks and she is beginning to see just how valuable her reading is becoming in the classroom.  She is even showing how she can control her frustrations in the classroom and, for that, I am so grateful.  It makes her day (and her teacher's day) go so much smoother.

For the boy in my group, along with finally reading for a challenge, he is beginning to find his confidence.  I listen to him read aloud, and in the beginning there were just words, but now there is expression and feeling.  This is a huge part to reading…to understand the words even before you speak them, to show the expression that the author wants you to feel while reading.  He has come a long way with his reading, and I have become so intrigued with the stories he’s reading because of the way he reads.  He is so expressive now and that takes practice.

I have been so impressed with these 2 students over the last couple months, and I hope that they continue to flourish after I am no longer there.  I know I didn’t make an enormous impact on their reading abilities, but I definitely made an impact on them.  And, even better, they made an impact on me, and I have learned so much from them!  I am truly going to miss my small Book Club, but I am so thankful for this opportunity with them.