Which description best reflects a teacher who is an extensive reader according to Standard IV?

• A. Teachers read only assigned texts.
• B. Teachers are extensive readers.
• C. Teachers avoid reading to model for students.
• D. Teachers rely solely on media for instruction.

Answer: (B)

Under Standard IV, teachers are expected to model lifelong learning, and being an extensive reader is the clearest representation of that idea. An extensive reader teacher engages with a wide range of texts—beyond just assigned readings—so they bring diverse ideas, up-to-date knowledge, and rich language to the classroom. This habit helps teachers surface multiple perspectives, vocabulary, and examples that can illuminate content and show students how reading supports thinking, inquiry, and growth. By reading broadly, they can select high-quality texts that connect to student interests and standards, discuss strategies for understanding texts, and demonstrate how to read critically and reflectively. This modeling of reading as an ongoing, valued practice makes literacy meaningful and accessible to students.

Reading only assigned texts limits knowledge and practice, avoiding reading to model for students misses a crucial form of classroom leadership, and relying solely on media for instruction underplays the importance of direct reading and text-based analysis in developing literacy and content understanding.