Reading...for pleasure.

Today, two of my students returned from suspension.  I had planned a guided writing lesson, looking at human rights heroes.  As it happened, the lesson didn't pan out that way at all.  The ten minutes free reading time I had planned at the start of the lesson was a resounding success.  I had new books added to our class library and tactically placed books on student desks to encourage them to engage with them.  Students were captivated by the books.  So much so, that when I offered them choice about the remainder of the lesson; to continue reading or to proceed with guided writing as previously planned, they grasped the opportunity to read. And read they did. For almost 60 minutes, all students were immersed in books and sharing what they were reading with peers.  This lesson reminded me why it's critically important to have a classroom rich in texts; because opportunities for incidental reading should be many and often.