Welcome Mrs. Cote from The Hands-On Teacher: To D.E.A.R or NOT to D.E.A.R?

To D.E.A.R. or NOT to D.E.A.R.?
No, not dear, but D.E.A.R….ever heard of it?
Before I tell you all about it, let me first tell you a little about me! I’m guest blogging today for Lacey!
My name is Marie from The Hands-On Teacher in First!
This is me:

If you haven’t stopped by before, I hope you’ll will!
Now, let’s get back to the topic: D.E.A.R. time… Drop Every Thing And Read!

Some of you may have heard of it, and some of you may even celebrate this in your own school and class. At our school, it’s somewhat of a hot topic right now…not because it’s a new thing, but because our administration has decided to change it up.
For years now we have celebrated D.E.A.R. time. What that means, is each day we have DEAR in our class. For fifteen minutes, students sit at their seats and read a book of their choice. Now, I’ll be honest…typically, while the students are reading, I tidy my desk, check my work email, or prep for other lessons. I generally do not sit and read at my desk.
This is where the questions come up….If DEAR time is “DROP EVERYTHING AND READ”, should the teachers also do the same?
Well, the administration at my school has begun to question just that, and has decided that there will be NO D.E.A.R. time, unless it is utilized differently by the teachers. They want it to be a more interactive time or a true DEAR time, meaning teachers are also reading.
The other ideas they have given us would be allowing students to partner read during this time, or allowing students to choose from a set of activities to do that would correspond to what they have read during the DEAR TIME. I actually think they may be onto something here....
I remember having DEAR time when I was a child, but never really took the time to learn more about it. UNTIL NOW…
So, here is what I found (all from http://dropeverythingandread.com/NationalDEARday.html )
There is actually a NATIONAL D.E.A.R. Day that is celebrated on April 12^th, which is Beverly Cleary’s birthday.
“Why is National D.E.A.R. Day celebrated on Beverly Cleary’s birthday?
Beverly Cleary receives thousands of letters a year from young readers, many who have participated in D.E.A.R. at school. Their interest in and enthusiasm for this special reading activity inspired Mrs. Cleary to give the same experience to Ramona Quimby, who gets to enjoy D.E.A.R. time with the rest of her class in Ramona Quimby, Age 8.” ( Quoted from www.dropeverythingandread.com)

Now, DEAR time could be an amazing thing, but like so many other ideas, there are always going to be people who misuse or mistreat it. Remember, DEAR time is a time set aside for students to read. This is not something to use anytime you need an extra few minutes to plan, and should not be for an extended period of time. Remember, it's to engage students and get them excited about READING! So, telling them each day to "Pull out a book, sit, and read quietly" may not be enough.
What are your thoughts on D.E.A.R. time?? How does your school utilize it, or do they? What would you like to see happen during those 15 minutes? Do you agree or disagree with having the teachers also D.E.A.R?
I’d love to hear back from ya’ll!
Thanks, and remember to visit me! And, Lacey, thank you for allowing me to be a guest blogger on your amazing blog! I love following you! J
Marie
The Hands-On Teacher in First!