Don’t overthink Drawn into the Heart of Reading.
In getting started with Drawn into the Heart of Reading, I would encourage you NOT to overthink it. Instead, I would boil down starting DITHR to the following quick, easy steps.
Try these easy steps for a successful experience with Drawn into the Heart of Reading!
1. Choose which genre to do first with your child. Typically this should be a type of literature your child likes/loves to read. This will encourage a good start!
2. Open up your Student Book to that genre. Decide how many books your child will read for that genre. To keep it simple, start with the fewest amount of books feasible. Often this is 1 or 2 short books at the younger reading level and 1 book at the upper reading level. Keep the readings short.
3. Fill in the calendar with the pages to be read each day. The calendar is in the Student Book behind the genre description sheet.
4. Choose one simple kick-off idea from the first day of plans for that genre. Keep it simple, so it goes quickly. Later, once you’re comfortable with DITHR, you can choose to do a kick-off up big. For now, keep it short and sweet.
5. Begin the next day. Then, just do a day of plans each day. If your child bogs down in the writing, write for him/her. Or, write part of the page and have your child just copy one sentence from a markerboard. The focus is on the reading and discussing, not the writing.
6. When you get to the project at the end of the unit, give your child a day off from DITHR. Use that day off to pick a project from the 3 project options right during your normal DITHR time.
7. When working on the project, do not let the time go too long each day. Just cut the project off each day in tiny bite-sized pieces. If the project goes over 5 days, wrap it up.
8. When you get to the start of the next genre, give your child another day off from DITHR. Then, do steps 1 – 4 above right during the school day during your normal DITHR time. This way, there is no prep. or planning in the evening.
See if these simple steps help you start Drawn into the Heart of Reading successfully!
What are you waiting for? Follow the steps above and get started on DITHR today! Many of my boys favorite books, projects, and discussions came from our time in DITHR. So, get started today!
Happy reading!
Carrie
PS: Interested in Drawn into the Heart of Reading? You might like this blog post by Julie too!
This Post Has 2 Comments
I want to commend you on the great presentation you make in your post. Shaw and Cole are a great asset to your company. Like the church we each have our talent and are asked to us it.
Thanks so much, Miriam! Cole and Shaw are great assets to HOD! Thank you for noticing!