A hush settles on the second grade classroom during Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) time each day after lunch. Today I joined the class and read my own book alongside the children who were reading their book choices. It is a wonderful, peaceful thing to do on a rainy day. "What we teach children to love and desire will always outweigh what we make them learn," according to author Jim Trelease. The enjoyment and calm focus made it clear that so many of these young readers continue to love and desire to spend time immersed in stories. In second grade, the range of choices is wide, from picture books to easy readers to more complex chapter books. Best of all, the teacher models SSR herself.
