Big reader, little reader

During the 2008-2009 school year I taught first grade. I was able to "loop up" with my kids that year which meant that all the children in my Kindergarten class went with me to first grade. It was a really neat experience! That year I got to see first-hand how much a child forgets during summer break. Since I taught all of the children in Kindergarten, I knew exactly what they had been taught and what they should be able to do at the beginning of first grade. I was shocked by how much they lost during their time off. 

Now that Dylan and I are taking a summer break from our homeschool studies, I really want to help him retain as much as I can so he'll be ready for first grade. He has been reading books and keeping a reading log and also has a writing journal to write in each day. Once he fills up a page in his reading log he gets to pick a privilege from the "privilege cup." He is very excited about picking a privilege so he has been doing a nice job reading and recording his books. I'm so proud of my big reader!

As Dylan was reading his books today and writing them in the log, Evan climbed up into his chair and requested a book as well. As Dylan read, so did Evan. He is such a cute little reader. He wants to be just like his big brother! 

Dylan updating his reading log

Evan "reading" his book

 Today I am thankful for opportunity to teach my boys. Since I am their teacher I can make sure they retain what they've learned during their summer break. Not many teachers get that chance. I am also thankful for the abundance of books available to us. We have tons of books in our home because I had an enormous library in my classroom. We also frequently visit the library which is quickly becoming one of Dylan's favorite places. I am thankful that my boys have books to read and that they both really enjoy reading. As a teacher and a mommy, I love seeing these boys with a book in their hands!