​Kindergarten is a year of tremendous growth in many different areas. It is the year where children become used to the routines of school, learn social skills involved in making new friends, and practice basic concepts of reading, writing, science and math.  As an educator, not only do I strive to help my students meet these standards but also to cultivate a love for learning. Reading is the key for lifelong learning. When the love of reading is instilled at an early age, then a commitment to lifelong learning is sure to follow. Reading teaches us new things, expands our vocabulary, and shows us different perspectives.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
-Dr. Suess

Kindergarten is an exciting grade as students start the year thinking “we can’t read” and quickly begin to form their identities as readers! This week in Reading Workshop, the children were introduced to leveled text. They tracked print across the pages to tell the story, used initial sounds of words to read, and matched the pictures to the words. The students are becoming more captivated in the stories and are building stamina for reading as well.  In just the first few months of school, I have already seen an incredible growth in their reading skills. More importantly, they are finding joy in reading by themselves and with peers. I am happy to say that reading time is one of our most favorite times of the day!