Slice of Life: Day 12 - Who Should Be Sorry? #SOL22 #TWTBlog

I’m sorry.

I look up to see her face.

I’m sorry, she repeats, pulling her mask up over her nose.

Confused I ask, why are you sorry? 

I looked at the picture.  I’m supposed to look at the letters.

While there are so many things I want to scream in this moment, I realize this young reader is a causality of a power struggle between researchers who can’t move beyond a binary mindset.  She doesn’t need more from me.

You are right. Readers look at the letters and the pictures. You don’t have to apologize.  Readers sometimes have to try lots of things to problem solve words. Do you prefer to look at the letters first?  You can do that and then think about how what you read in the letters adds to what you read in the pictures.

I like to look at the pictures first, but my goal is to look at the letters first.  I keep forgetting.

It is important to use the letters, the pictures, and what you know about words.  Just remember one important thing, the most important thing really…

She takes a breath, readying herself for a new strategy.

You must have fun and enjoy reading.  Don’t forget to laugh, talk to your characters and say WOW when you learn something new. 

She smiles and nods.

Thanks for reading with me today.

She returns to her book and I jot a note reminding me to talk with the literacy leaders about the need to keep the science of reading in balance.

Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers, and teachers here.