Wondering if this Works?

I'm not. I am sure it is working, and here's how.

The past few days I have been doing my reading with kids -- one is a neighbor's daughter, and the other is volunteering with 1st and 3rd graders at our neighborhood school.

I know we're on the right track when my neighbor tells me that her daughter woke up at 5 am, ready and excited about reading with me -- AFTER SCHOOL. She had her sachel packed with the books we were reading and told her mom, "I can't wait to tell Miss Jewellyn the part where she actually turns into Speedy the hamster and..."

She's hooked. It's not me, although relationship is the key...it's the approach.

It's not, "Let me teach you - here's what you aren't getting."
It is "You are a great reader! Let's keep doing what good readers do - here's another strategy now that you know so many others!"

At school, all the kids clamored when I walked in the 1st grade room "Are you taking me first? Do we have a Gerald and Piggie book?" and then when I left, they all had REQUESTS FOR NEXT TIME.

Do they care? YES. Are they hooked? YES!!!

The third grade teacher greeted me with a big smile, stating that the kids I had worked with had already asked first thing that morning if I was coming.

When I finished working with J, one of the kids, he asked where he could actually go buy the book we were reading.

"Buy it? Borrow it from me!" I smiled. He smiled back - he's good to go.

So are you thinking, "hmm...will this stuff really work with MY kid?"

I guarantee it.