Daily Practices of Reading and Writing

​In the second chapter of 180 Days, Gallagher and Kittle focus on how to “establish daily practices” of reading and writing in the classroom (24). According to Gallagher and Kittle, “day one sets the tone” for the rest of the year, so it is important to show students what to expect right from the beginning (24):

When they enter they see our classroom libraries organized into categories that make book shopping easier – libraries wrap around every wall. Our classrooms tell students that reading matters. […] Writing matters too, of course, and we have pictures of former students and their writing or sketches displayed with pride. We take students on tours of our notebooks, demonstrating how we notice, how we collect, how we write. (24-25)

For Gallagher and Kittle, the first day of school is for acclimating all the students to the structure and environment of the class. They “get [the students] started right away” by “[handing] them writing notebooks and [asking] them to respond to two questions: Who are you as a reader? Who are you as a writer?” (25). By asking their students to participate in the reading and writing practices of the class immediately, Gallagher and Kittle prepare them for the course of the year.