Welcome!

Each day at school, my kids get to drop everything and read. It's their DEAR time. For few precious moments each day, the students are encouraged to put away their school work, choose a book and read - just for the pleasure of it. There will be no formal class discussion about the book, they will not be asked to interpret what they've read, no report, no quiz, no test - just reading for reading's sake.

The best part is that DEAR time is spilling over into our home life. The kids are reading more, and - guess what? - since there are no formal discussions about their books at school, they are discussing them at home!

I hope to update this blog on a regular basis, sharing what my children are reading and including links to some of our favorite books. I'd love to hear from you. What are your kids reading?

Is there DEAR time at your children's school? If not, you may want to print out the Education World article linked below and share it with their teachers.

In the meantime, try DEAR time at home. Surprise your children during chore time by encouraging them to "drop everything and read!" The chores can wait while they begin a lifelong love of reading.

For more information: Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) in Education World