“A popular practice in many classrooms is the creation and use of folders filled with extension activities and extra practice sheets--exercises designed to occupy students who finish class assignments quickly. I made them, too, in those early years, back when I was stuck in the mode of doing what everyone else around me did. Like warm-ups, these fun folders for the fast finishers has little instructional value other than drill and practice and took hours of time to plan and create. When my students asked me whether they could read books instead of doing the folders, I got the message. When I took a closer look at those folders, it became clear to me that they were simply time wasters, busywork, and, in some ways, punishment for students who were capable. Students hate those supposedly fun folders. My husband, a self-proclaimed slacker in school, figured out that when he finished his assignments earlier than other students, his reward was more work. He began to work more slowly, stretching out assignments that he could have easily finished in order to avoid the extra work.”

Donalyn Miller, The Book Whisperer

Her book repeats the idea of using any extra time in class for independent reading—not fluff work that you try to convince yourself is academic. When students are engaged in reading, they reap the rewards tenfold in their writing, speaking, and reading skills—not only in English class, but across the board.