6 Read Alouds to Start the School Year Strong

By Laura Spaulding, Staff Writer/ Educational Consultant

Last week, children's book author and award-winning stand-up comedian Devin Siebold spent the morning with our teachers and staff, emphasizing the importance of establishing safety and connections with students. As a former teacher, Devin found that starting each class by telling a good joke helped him establish rapport and trust with even the most difficult-to-reach students. 

Sharing good stories is another way to build safety and connection in a classroom. Here are some of The Joy School's favorite back-to-school read-alouds that help teachers intentionally engage students' hearts and minds and settle their nerves. 

Ms. Troche, 1st-grade teacher, always starts the school year reading "First Day Jitters" by Julie Danneberg. She wants to ensure the students know they are not the only ones who have arrived at school nervous and excited about the new year. Without giving away too much of the plot, Ms. Troche shared how she easily relates to the teacher in this fun and thoughtful story—a teacher whose jitters surpass those of any of her students.

After (#) years of teaching 3rd graders, Ms. Anastasia likes to rotate between her handful of favorite first-day read-alouds. This year she's chosen "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" by William Steig. She loves how this magical story about wishes coming true opens up opportunities for her students to share their wishes for a new year. When Sylvester's wish gets him into trouble by making him disappear, conversations are sparked about the positive and negative sides of being invisible. Ms. Anastasia uses this as an opportunity to ask her students if anyone has ever felt invisible before, or if anyone has ever wished they could be invisible. Fun and meaningful conversations always proceed.

Mr. Hancock begins and ends the school year by reading his 4th graders the book, "We are in a Book" by Mo Willems. It is a cyclical book that begins precisely the way it ends, drawing attention to the cyclical nature of all things, including our school days, the school week, and the school year. Mr. Hancock uses this to remind his students to be aware of themselves, one another, and the patterns in the world around them, sparking ongoing conversations about how far his students have already come, what is the same or different from school years past, and where they are going next.

Ms. Kate always reads her kindergarten and 1st graders the first three books in the Knuffle Bunny series by Mo Willems, spread throughout the first day of school. These stories about a beloved lost lovie (and their continuing adventures) provide opportunities for our youngest students to share about the things, people, and places in their lives where they feel safe. They also have meaningful conversations concerning people and things they care about and love, which builds compassion and community in the classroom.

Ms. Holcomb, one of our 3rd-grade teachers, loves to read "Our Class is a Family" by Shannon Olsen. She wants to make her classroom feel like an extension of her students' homes. "A home away from home" is her stated goal. "Our Class is a Family" paints a beautiful picture of what that can look like, as it provides opportunities for her to build trust and community among her students.

I also asked our guest speaker this week if he had any favorite read-alouds to recommend. Turns out his favorite one happens to be "Teachers in the Wild", written by… himself. As a stand-up comedian, Devin Seibold always acknowledges the unspoken, awkward moments teachers face. This book tells the story of an unexpected collision of worlds when a student runs into a teacher in public. It is a fun and funny story meant to help students recognize that teachers are people, too. People with lives and loves outside of the school day. It humanizes teachers for their students, often making them more approachable and relatable. 

Along with all of our long-standing favorite read-alouds, we can't wait to share "Teachers in the Wild" with our students as another way to build rapport, trust, and community in our classrooms.  

 

To learn more about how The Joy School maintains a safe and supportive learning environment that enables students with learning differences to reach their academic and social potential, visit our website at www.thejoyschool.org.