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An Unexpected Heart Flutter

Every June, I am curious to learn each reader’s favorite book enjoyed in fourth grade. After watching and listening and recommending all year long, I am left wondering what the #1 title in their stacks of 30-40 independent reading books is. Last week, I invited my crew to take out their stack of monthly “Shelfies” to prepare for my one-question inquiry. The expected chatter erupted, but then, as I lowered myself into my rocking chair with a pen and notebook in hand, the unexpected happened:

The only reason I love reading is because of this class!

“Say that again,” I replied. He repeated the words that made my heart flutter, and most readers excitedly agreed. Holding back my happy tears, I declared that my one-question inquiry would have to wait. “Well,” I said, “Let’s talk about THIS! Tell me more about what grew your love for reading this year.” Readers waved their hands. I scrawled in my notebook. Here is what they had to say:

What helped you grow your love for reading this year?

  • First Chapter Friday
  • Having a teacher who loves to read
  • So many choices in our classroom library
  • Recommendations from book buzzing
  • Reading every day
  • Time to read what we enjoy in the classroom
  • Learning new strategies to understand the reading

Thank you, readers, for helping me to know what reading routines will live on in 4Q. If I accomplished nothing else this year, I at least fostered a love of reading. I know there are countless teachers who did the same.

6 thoughts on “An Unexpected Heart Flutter”

    1. Hi Bonnie! My team started book buzzing when we went 100% virtual last year. Susan Kennedy writes about our work here: https://teachersbooksreaders.com/2020/05/10/creating-a-buzz-around-books/. This year, during our hybrid phase, book buzzing was a weekly routine implemented on remote weeks as “Flipgrid Friday!” When we all came back together in April, fourth graders continued this routine live. Each Friday, they buzzed about their latest independent reading book with one partner.

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