What do I do when my 
child is a reluctant reader at co-op?
So what do you do as a teacher? First of all, don’t feel alone. Every 2nd-3rd grade Language Arts teacher must deal with transition students who are between reading with help and reading on their own. The classroom environment around supportive peers who are reading on their own will most likely help that student make the transition without trouble. This is the best case scenario for both teacher and mom at home.
That said, there are students who will go the other direction. They become more introspective and discouraged. Things you can do to help avoid this are:
1. Do not call upon that student to read aloud in front of the class.
2. Remind students at the beginning and end of Language Arts that the assignments might not be finished in class today, but should be finished at home with a parent. With that out there, fervent readers will finish before they leave, but the others will not feel bad about needing to do more at home.
3. If doing work on the board, pair students who cannot read so well with those who can and allow the reader to do the writing on the board.
4. Always offer your help when students are working on their own, and encourage students to help one another.
If you are the parent of the reluctant reader, encourage the child to keep trying at home and spend some extra time with that child, who will most likely be more motivated to read now, thanks to co-op friends. Remind him or her that students are at different levels of reading in their grade range and that it will come with some hard work. Practical Tips for you include:
1. Creating a Quiet Time to Work on Reading (When younger ones are napping or when Dad is home to watch other children)
2. Set aside 10-15 minutes per day when your child can explore books for him or herself.
3. Be willing to stop a few minutes to help with sounding out or writing when your child takes the initiative to read on his own.