Preparation is Key

Preparing our Readings

I wanted to share our class experience for our second visit ​to W.M. Irvin elementary school. A couple of days before our visit, we discussed how important it is to be prepared when presenting, or teaching something new. I asked my students to reflect on my lesson delivery. I asked them to share how they know a teacher is well prepared or not so prepared for a lesson. Some were very honest and shared how they can tell when the teacher is thinking on an assignment and expects students to do what it's asked but there's very little support. However, when a teacher has everything printed out, written on slide or board, supports with clarity what's expected, then they perform much better. 
After this conversation, I told them how they are becoming teachers when going to the elementary school because the little ones are learning from them. That being said, preparation to even read and ask questions is important. We then brainstormed what we could do to show up to the elementary school and be very well prepared. 

Here is what they came up with:

• Read the book and know the story.
• Brainstorm and write great questions to ask about the story.
• Use sticky notes to mark where they wanted to stop to discuss or ask questions.
• Have another book as a back-up should we have extra time to read.

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I was so proud of my students because they thinking as educators. They understood that preparation is key to not only feel prepared and ready but also to ensure that the student is supported enough to understand the story. 

So, our first step was to choose our book of choice. These are the books my students picked: 

• Brian: ​El Árbol Generoso by Shel Silverstein (Image #1 'left')
• Brandon: From North to South/Del Norte al Sur by Rene Colato Lainez (Image #1 'right')
• Oliver: Vamos, Hugo! by Angela Dominguez  (Image #2)
• Ani: La Frontera/The Border: El viaje con papá/ My Journey With Papa by Deborah Mills (image #3)
• Melissa: 3,585 Miles to be an American Girl by Nury Castillo Crowford (Image #4) 
• Yanet: Perez y Martina/Perez and Martina by  Marjorie Herrmann  (Image #5)
• Marlon: Chiquita Y Pepita: Dos Ratoncitas/The City Mouse and the Country Mouse  by  Dorothy Sword Bishop (Image #6)

Image #1

Image #2

Image #3

Image #4

Image #5

Image #6

Our next step was to read and enjoy our chosen book. These were picture books that my students have never heard of. They were super excited about their choice. 

Our last step was to mark our book with prepared questions we wanted to ask our buddies. 
For the most part, students were choosing a question that could be answered with the text. My next step would be to teach them how to create questions that follow the BHH framework: In the Book, in the Head, in the Heart. This is a framework I learned from the book Disrupting Thinking by Kylene Beers and Robert E. Probst.

Here's a video of my students in action! Reading with confidence because they are prepared!! 

HS students in action

Pictures with our reading buddies

We had an awesome time with Kindergarteners and first graders. We cannot wait to go back...and this time we'll be even more prepared! 

Thank you for reading!