Help

[nikimcn]

I'm not only NEW to teaching, I'm new to this school and well, everything!
I was hired today as a long-term sub for special ed (ED emotional disability) room/program. There are 8 kids, one is a girl, the other boys. 5th and 6th graders. Me and one aide, to start with. Eventually maybe 2 aides. I am just lost already. School starts Aug 11 and I don't know where to start. It is a self contained class, mostly independent work to start with. Eventually group work. I am not even sure how many minutes I need to have them spending on each subject. What are some good books for 5th and 6th grade at-risk kids? I love reading, so I was thinking to spend some part of the day reading TO them, or at least reading with them, aloud. Please help. Any input, help would be greatly appreciated. I am back in the classroom aug 5. whew, this summer flew!

[nikimcn]

no one is here to help, assist? hmmm

[dsmms]

I teach 6th grade reading and I read all kinds of books to my students. They are very surprised when I pull out a picture book to read to them. I usually read Hooray for Diffendoofer Day on the first first day of school. Some have usually read it or have had it read to them. But my goal is to have them make connections with the story in as many ways as possible. It is a silly Dr. Seuss Book, but they often connect with teachers or principals they have known. They may also connect with the stress of taking a test. This is a great way to draw at-risk kids into reading. When they can connect with the text on a personal level, they get so much more out of the reading. You can do this with any text! I have the students write their connections on a post-it note...it is less overwhelming than a sheet of notebook paper. When we do this for the first time, the students barely write sentence. With more practice, they ask for extra post-its. I do this with my sixth graders and I have done it with third graders.

Other picture books I have used:
Erika's Story by Ruth Vander Zee (a Holocaust survivor's tale)

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot by Margot Theis Raven

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's
Fastest Woman by Kathleen Krull

The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

Show Way (Newbery Honor Book) by Jacqueline Woodson

Coming On Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson

We also have an approved novel list for our county. I use this this "post-it connection" strategy for novels as well.

I hope this helps.
Donna