MONROE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS
423 Buckelew Avenue
Monroe Township, New Jersey 08831
Tel: 732-521-1500
September 7, 2016
Dear Parent/Guardian:
We would like to share with you an exciting, student-centered transition that will begin taking place in our Middle School Language Arts classes. One of the best ways to assist students in the journey to becoming lifelong readersis to allow them the opportunity to read books of their choice independently. To strengthen writing, one must engage in the writing process through ongoing revision. The reader’s and writer’s workshop instructional models were developed through the Teachers College of Columbia University and are rooted in the research that found the best way to develop literacy skills is through daily, independent, sustained reading and opportunities to continue to revise writing that reflects new understanding. During a workshop, a teacher will conduct a mini-lesson about a specific literacy skill or strategy. Students then move into independent work, during which time their teacher will work with small groups or conference with individual students. In this way, teachers have the opportunity to delve deeply into a student’s strengths and areas for growth as it relates to their literacy development. Classrooms are environments where books and authors are discussed; students develop reading preferences and a love of reading. Students’ writing is enhanced through the reflection and revision processes, as well as their ongoing reading of a variety of texts.
As we begin totransition to the workshop model in language arts classes this year, we would like to encourage and assist students in choosing reading material that best suits their varied levels and interests. There are many excellent books for young adults with ideas and themes relevant to students’ lives. We wish to involve parents and guardians bypartnering with teachers to guide students to books and other reading material appropriate for them. Students should be matched to text based upon their ability to read it independently with comprehension, their interest level, and the developmental appropriateness of the content. A book may be a great match for one student, and not another. We want students to make choices that are irresistible; good books help students not only learn to become better readers, but also learn more about their own lives and the world around them.
Within the reader’s workshop format, students may choose a wide variety of books. There are grade level books available in teachers’ classroom libraries, the school media center, and the Monroe Township Public Library. We hope parents will take an active role in their child’s reading life by discussing books, suggesting books, and asking your child what he or shelikes to read. Parents wishing to know more about what their child is reading, or would like to be able to suggest books to their child can accessresources such as School Library Journal’s website, GoodReads, or Common Sense Media.
We wish to be partners in building students’ reading lives, and thank you in advance for your participation in fostering a love of literacy in your child. To learn more about the workshop model, as well as other middle school content areas, please join us on Tuesday, October 18th at 7:00 p.m. for Middle School Curriculum Night.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kelly F. Roselle
Supervisor of Language Arts, World Language, and Media Literacy