Hi! I'm Jamie from Not So Wimpy Teacher. I am a third grade teacher, wife, mother of four, blogger and curriculum writer. I am super excited that I was asked to guest blog today for Classroom Tested Resources!
During my first couple of years as a teacher, I always had a class read aloud sitting on my desk. It would take months to actually finish it because I so rarely had time to just sit and read to my third graders. Too many standards and assessments. Too many interruptions and mandates. I am embarrassed to admit that I started to feel like taking a break and reading to my kids was a luxury that I didn't have time for. Thank goodness that I have evolved as an educator! My thinking has done a 360 degree change! A day does not go by in my classroom when I don't take the time to read to my students. It is one of the best parts of our day and something that I am passionate about!
Why use read alouds?
There are numerous reasons that reading to your students is a daily must- even in upper elementary classrooms.
Reading aloud gives teachers the opportunity to introduce reluctant readers to new authors, series and genres. I cannot tell you how many times a parent has told me, "My son hates to read." I disagree. He probably doesn't hate to read. He just hasn't found the type of book that he loves YET. So I read a variety of types of books. I read fiction and nonfiction. I read series that I don't notice my students trying yet. I read authors that are new. I introduce them to a type of book and then allow them to read more on their own. It's a powerful way to get kids reading! And since it is so specifically targeted to my kids, it is far more engaging than a textbook.


Read aloud allow my struggling readers to hear age appropriate stories. Too often the lower readers are bored by the books that are written for kids much younger than they are. My third graders are tired of reading Junie B. and Magic Treehouse. They want to read The One and Only Ivan, but they aren't ready to do the decoding. My lower readers love being able to enjoy a book without having to struggle over each word.
Sometimes I even choose a book that is above level. It is a book that most of my kids can't read independently YET. But it introduces them to new vocabulary and gets them excited to be ready for challenging text. After all, students who want to read something, typically find a way to understand it!
Don't get me wrong- students need instruction that meets them on their level. In my class we have literature circles during guided reading groups. This is the time where I work real hard with them on text that is appropriate for their independent reading level. You can read more about my literature circles HERE.
Don't get me wrong- students need instruction that meets them on their level. In my class we have literature circles during guided reading groups. This is the time where I work real hard with them on text that is appropriate for their independent reading level. You can read more about my literature circles HERE.
Stop thinking of it as wasted time! I use my read aloud to model every one of our reading skills and standards during the year. I do my read aloud while my students eat their snack. When I am finished reading, they come to the carpet and we have a quick mini lesson for our weekly skill. Therefore, my guided reading time actually started during the snack break! I am saving time rather than wasting it!

Do you take time to read aloud to your class? Is it an integral part of your classroom day or just a filler if you have time at the end? Are your kids begging for more? Please leave a comment and share your experience so that we can motivate each other to find time to read to our students!
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I would love to connect with you!
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