It sometimes seems almost too good to be true; the quiet, the eagerness and the joy the students find in the first seven minutes of class. You see, when the students first come into the room, they do so quietly, take out a book, and read. Almost any book is game, as long as it is age appropriate for them. No magazines, but I broke the rule about graphic novels for the classic, Maus. Other than that, they read what they want to read. I am careful to protect those seven minutes for them because, not only would they complain if we didn't have that time, but it helps them in many ways.
We know from large amounts of research, that reading for pleasure does several things for a student. First, it is the best way to learn new vocabulary, and the greatest indicator of success in school is a student's grasp of vocabulary. Second, as they read, they are exposed to worlds and places outside their place and time, giving them the base of knowledge they need to make larger, abstract connections in all the subject areas. But besides that, it is the magic that I love.
Middle school is a busy time. Oh, so long ago, when I was their age, I had far more time on my hands than they do. I had time to ride my bike to no where, read a book a day, if I wanted, and time to be bored, which, when you think about it, leads to creativity. Now, it seems, kids are busier, and at this age, they are making transitions quickly. The sixth grade is coming from a self-contained room, and the seventh graders are struggling to deal with all the wanting and not wanting that seems to define that year. To know that, when they walk into a my class, that they will have seven minutes all to themselves to retreat to some place they want to be, can work magic. That few minutes of relaxation, for which little will be required of them, may be one of their few quiet moments in their day. It might be the only time they have that day to dream and pretend.
It is hard to believe that something so simple and so pleasant can have so much research affirming its importance. And, as much as I love computers and what they can do for the academic success of the students, there will never be a replacement for picking up a book and reading even if all you have are seven sacred minutes.
