Second Graders Are So Sweet!

At school we have started something called reading to read to help some of the students who have trouble with their reading fluency (reading aloud). It is kind of a first step to diagnosing reading problems. Anyway, I'm working with two second grade girls. One of them I would take home with me if I could. She is very shy and doesn't have a lot of self confidence. It has taken me forever to get her to talk to me. She is a real sweetie. If I'm having a bad day, it disappears when she comes through my door. She is getting better and better with her reading too. The concept behind this is to have them read aloud for 30 minutes each day. We have a book that has 100-word passages from the literature book that goes with their reading series. The people in charge tested them to see the level they should start at. They have ten trys to read the passage with 3 or less errors. We record the number of correct words for each try. We begin by going over five or six words that have been underlined as vocabulary words. Then we model for them by reading the passage aloud and then they read. I mark the number of words on a bar chart and they color it in while I write it on the documentation I turn in at the end of the week. It has turned out to be as rewarding for me as it is for them.

I''m still planning on finishing Suzannah's dress later today after I get home and posting a picture. We shall see how that goes. I'm writing this from school. I can't see my blog but I figured out I can write in an email and send it to the address blogger designates and it posts to my draft folder. You have a choice to also post it directly to the blog but I'd rather save it as a draft and publish it later.

I'm staying away from all valentine parties at school as that is not fitting my "healthy" eating plan, so I'm kind of hiding in my room for now. Think I'll work on my Greg Iles book - Turning Angel. It's a great mystery!! He is a MS writer so you can't beat that combination. I usually listen to books on my ipod but for some reason Audio.com doesn't carry much Greg Isles so I've resorted to reading the printed version and giving my ears a rest. I love listening to books cause I can sew or whatever when I'm doing it although I do miss some parts of the story if I get too involved in what I'm doing. But I generally catch those missed parts when I go back and listen again a few months later. I get two books each month for $22. I stick to unabridged and have really gotten my money's worth.

Well enough rambling. I've got a book to read so I'm off for now. (Just in case you are wondering -- working in the computer lab does have its perks -- especially when teachers don't sign up to use the lab when I don't have scheduled classes -- which is most afternoons - thus the reading and listening to books. It's definitely a nice way to wind down to retirement -- as long as they don't change the activity schedule !! Don't tell anyone -- okay :) )

Here are the pictures. I didn't get the bias strip put around the neck but I did the back placket and the shoulder seams. I'm happy with that. Now I've got blue, aqua, and pink to go :)