Dear Parents and Guardians,

Welcome to a new school year! I hope you had a wonderful summer and enjoyed spending
quality time with your children. This summer I hae !een deeply engrossed in discoering what
research says most !enefits students as they !ecome readers, writers and lifelong learners. "s a result,
the structure of my literacy !loc# may loo# and sound a little different and I am $%&IT$D!
It won't !e long until you hear your child tal#ing a!out (The Daily )ie.* The purpose of this
letter is to fill you in on what The Daily )ie is all a!out, so you don't hae to nod your head while
wondering what in the world your child is referring to.
The Daily )ie is a way of structuring the reading !loc# so eery student is independently
engaged in meaningful literacy tas#s. These research !ased tas#s are ones that will hae the !iggest
impact on student reading and writing achieement, as well as help foster children who loe to read
and write. +tudents receie e,plicit whole group instruction and then are gien independent practice
time to read and write independently while I proide focused, intense instruction to indiiduals and
small groups of students.
When it is up and running smoothly, students will !e engaged in the Daily )ie, which are
comprised of-
.ead to +elf
Wor# on Writing
.ead to +omeone
/isten to .eading
Word Wor#
There are ery specific !ehaior e,pectations that go with each Daily 0 component. We will
spend our first wee#s wor#ing intensely on !uilding our reading and writing stamina, learning the
!ehaiors of the Daily 0 and fostering our classroom community. I will also spend time learning a!out
your child's strengths and greatest needs as a reader in order to !est plan for each student's instruction.
Therefore I will !e initing parents into the classroom after we hae accomplished this important wor#.
Than# you in adance for your patience and understanding.
1ne thing you'll notice that may !e a change for you is a direct decrease in the num!er of
wor#sheets your child !rings home. While wor#sheets #eep students !usy, they don't really result in
the high leel of learning I want for your child. Instead, your child will !e taught to select (Good )it
2oo#s* or !oo#s they can read, understand and are interested in, which they will read during Daily 0.
They will !e spending most of their time actually reading, which research supports as the num!er one
way to improe reading. I anticipate the motiation and enjoyment of reading will s#yroc#et when this
gift of choosing their own !oo#s is accompanied !y e,tended practice and specific reading instruction
for each indiidual child.
"s you can see, I am e,cited a!out giing your child the opportunity to !e inoled in a
structure that will hae a positie effect on their education.
Please thin# of our classroom as you isit garage sales or clean your own child's !oo#case. It
is my goal to ma#e our classroom li!rary as appealing as your faorite !oo#store for !rowsing.
+incerely,
3i##y Willison and +helly Gudmunsen