As a third grade teacher it amazes me when I sit across the table from parents and they declare that their child “hated school before this year.” It breaks my heart. I remember my own love of school at that age. According to the parents, there are many reasons for their dislike of school, but one reoccurring concern is the struggle with reading. Many parents profess that their children HATE reading. They tell me it’s a chore to get them to read at home and that all the fun has been sucked out of it at school.
In my first year of teaching I decided that I needed to do a reading intervention…I needed to show my students that
reading was fun and was something worth celebrating. On the homework board I wrote, “WRAD next Friday.” I did not tell anyone what this was right away and allowed them to speculate among themselves. Finally a few days before the “big day” when the excitement was high I told the kids that it stood for “write and read all day!” Many of the kids were disappointed and voiced their
concern with “awwww that’s not fun!” I sent home a note to the families and requested that students dress in their pajamas (or Hawaiian…because I am a sucker for a good theme). My note reminded them to bring their reading materials (books, comics, magazines, picture books, etc) as well as their sleeping bags and pillows.
Ever since that first time, I make sure to do WRAD at least once a year because it is so satisfying as a teacher. When the big WRAD day arrives I decorate the room in a
Hawaiian luau theme. Years ago, a party store near our school went out of business and I grabbed all of the Hawaiian decorations, tablecloths, lanterns, etc. I use our die cutting tool to cut out Hawaiian flowers in all different colors to spread out on the tables. I use the same decorations every year so it looks really impressive but doesn’t cost me a thing! When the kids arrive they are so excited for WRAD.
After we finish out morning routine, we push the desks to the edges of the room and they set up their sleeping bags and pillows. I always have some throw blankets and floor pillows for the kids who forget. Then for the entire morning we read, write, and do writing activities (like Mad Libs). For snack I have parents bring in healthy finger food (bonus points if it goes with out Hawiian theme). The kids can snack on fruit, veggies, goldfish crackers, pretzels, etc while they
are reading and writing. I also try to coordinate guest readers to come in and read picture books or a chapter from their favorite book to the class. The kids love seeing parents, teachers, the principal, the custodian, and even my husband come in and read to them.
It is an awesome day for everyone, myself included. The kids do not want to pack up their things when WRAD is over. They tell me that it is the best day of school EVER, and I can
see that many of them have a newly ignited love for reading. The best part is when they go out in the hallway and they brag to their friends, “We got to read and write alllllll daaaaaayyy loooooong!”
~Heather
