Just sharing that the stories are rocking the house so strongly now that I have decided to curtail the the readings. That represents a shift in my long-accepted Denver Public Schools position that CI classes be 50% stories and 50% reading.
This is true for the lower levels: more stories, up to 80% stories and 20% reading.
For the upper levels, if I were still teaching high school, I would reverse the ratio – 20% stories and 80% reading, using Read and Discuss like a chef uses a stove.
That is not to say that Reading Option A doesn’t remain a major resource in my middle school classroom when we do read.
Now, my new thinking born out of putting my mental health first, is to take the notes from the story writer on that class’ story and do either:
- dictation to the class of a shortened version of the story, then writing each sentence on the board with a marker and calling that the reading of the story.
- not do the story. It wouldn’t be the end of the world.
I don’t have to work as hard anymore. I can love and take care of myself. I don’t have to be the best teacher in the building anymore.