Meet Brittany Walker, a fourth year teacher, who happens to teach 4th grade. She’s the very first teacher featured in the Teacher Rock Star Series- and for good reason!
I met Brittany during our division’s K-12 admin licensure cohort through Old Dominion University. Now, she’s pursing her Doctorate in Education, also from ODU. Nothing against the Monarchs but I think Brittany will always be a Kentucky Wildcat at heart. See Exhibit A.
Exhibit A
Besides being a life long learner herself, she’s full of fantastic ideas about how to get students truly engaged in learning.
Although Brittany is mostly known for her amazing guided math bundles in her TPT site (see Exhibit B), I wanted to know more about the “Readbox” concept she implements in her 4th grade classroom.
Check out her TPT Site Fourth Grade Fab to see all of her math manipulatives!
Read on to learn more about Mrs. Walker’s Readbox.
Brittany was generous enough to give me a bit of her time during the second week of school. YES, I know! That is very generous…
Here’s what she told me!
How did you come up with the idea for your classroom Readbox?
I was first inspired to implement Readbox in my classroom when I saw a picture online that inspired the idea. I mostly wanted to use Readbox to coordinate with my technology themed classroom and also feature high interest books for the students to read just as Redbox features high interest movies for its viewers.
How do you manage student Readbox checkouts?
I manage checkouts by assigning each student a “classroom credit card”. The cards are laminated. Just as customers check out movies using their credit cards to pay, students check out books with their credit cards. With dry erase markers, I (or they) write the title of the book on the back that they check out. They then turn in their card. When they return their book, I wipe the card clean and they get their credit card back.
What advice do you have for others looking to implement Readbox?
The best advice I have for others is to keep up with the books you are featuring to make it exciting for kids! They love to see what is “coming out” next!
What are some other techniques that you use to get students excited about reading?
First, I always let students choose their books. I also teach them how to choose good fit books on their reading level. Reading high interest material is the only way to make them fall in love with reading. I also use goal setting and data tracking to excite students about reading! This year I have started data folders where they will be able to graph their reading level as it increases. This will give them a visual of their progress.
What’s your favorite part about teaching?
My favorite part of being a teacher is watching students set goals and achieve them. I love watching students take pride in and own their learning. My favorite part of teaching is the students I teach.
Thank you, Brittany, for being my first ROCK STAR. I hope you all will visit her TPT Site.
Feel free to ask Brittany any of your Readbox questions in the comments below!