Ok...So I kept hearing about Flashlight Fridays, and I thought "what a cute idea! I need to add that to my repertoire of cuteness!" Well, I researched finger flashlights on the internet and found that you can pretty much get them DIRT CHEAP from lots of places...Amazon, Target Dollar Spot, Oriental Trading, and the list goes on... This is what they look like...
I ordered mine from Amazon, (got lots of extras for the INEVITABLE lost, broken, new student, etc.) and I prepped my firsties for the BIG EVENT! "Tomorrow is FLASHLIGHT FRIDAY!"
(Now, if you are in need of a pick me up just tell your students that you will be giving them flashlights to read with AND that you will be turning out the lights AT THE SAME TIME!!!) The OHHHS and AHHS...the YOU ARE THE BEST TEACHER EVER claims will be EPIC!! Not to mention, if there is any work that needs done and collected... plan to do it on FLASHLIGHT FRIDAY, because attendance will be at an ALL TIME HIGH!
***Just a side note here... put a dab of glue on each side of the elastic band where it attaches to the plastic...( I used E-6000...got it at Michaels). This will save you a great deal of leg-work, as you run around trying to fix the bands as they promptly fall off!****
When the BIG DAY arrived, I gave the rules...
LOW AND BEHOLD....IT WAS LIKE A MIRACLE HAD OCCURRED!!!! Never before had my firsties gotten started reading so quickly!
Never before had my firsties gotten started so quietly!
But that wasn't all... NEVER BEFORE HAD ALL 52 EYES ACTUALLY BEEN ON PRINT!!!!!
If you are a teacher of young children you know exactly what I mean. When it is reading time, and everyone is SUPPOSED to be reading independently,there are inevitably a few students who find watching YOUR every move much more interesting than the books you have provided for them! Let's face it, even the tissue box becomes a much more interesting topic than THOSE DARN BOOKS! Why??? Well, for one thing, firsties are hugely a nosey, nibby bunch! They are afraid they are going to miss a handout or freebie, or a chance to be first in line! But even more importantly than that, those firsties that won't put their eyes on that print....THEY HAVEN'T BOUGHT IN TO THE SYSTEM YET!!! They are CONVINCED, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are absolutely CRAZY, and there is no way on earth they are EVER going to be able to read those books you have put into their hands!
BUT.... on FLASHLIGHT FRIDAY... they forget all that!!! Their fears go out the window, because, well heck...they have a 3 cent light attached to their finger, and all is well with the world!
It is GENIUS!!!! Now those same kids were saying things like, "Hey..I found the word 'and' in my book!", "there are pictures of monkeys in my book!", and my personal favorite, "Mrs. Romo, did you know I can really read this book!?"
SWOON!!!!
Now, on the other days of the week, I still have some Nosey Nellies who watch my every move, but I have a lot more firsties who have realized something about their life...
"My teacher isn't as crazy as I thought she was, AND I think I am going to get the hang of this reading thing after all!
