BOOK BUDDIES

Picking out their books and getting excited for our first day of Reading Buddies!

This week kicks off what I see as one of the most valuable opportunities that comes with being a fifth grade at Buckham Elementary. Every Monday and Thursday,  we travel just down the hall to Ms. Rathbun's second grade class to spend time with our Reading Buddies. Each student is paired with a second grader, and they spend an hour reading with their partner, discussing what they read and learning from one another. 

Ms. Rathbun and I work together to match our students with similar tastes and interests, and each duo gets to pick a book (approved by one of the teachers). They have a choice whether to read out loud together or read silently and fill out a discussion sheet afterwards. They also keep a reading log keeping track of time spent reading, thoughts, questions and insights to present to the rest of the class when they finish. 

Let me tell you, if you haven't already guessed, I love this program! It is so, so fun to watch my students take on a leadership role and begin relationships with younger students--some were a little nervous or uncertain going into it, but they all did so well and I am so proud of them! It was a great first day. Stay tuned for more details about Reading Buddies and fun reading events throughout the year!