revisiting read alouds

I was excited after I read the article revisiting Read Alouds. I realized I was doing something right in my classes. after all these years I still read a great deal to my students-stories about artists, the time period in which the lived , what was happening in other places of the world during the life of the artist and even what my expectations for the project. The reading  are usually short ,as are their attention spans. I was always taught to be a good listener. I think it may be one of the very best skills a person can have. After we discuss what I read, the students are then asked their opinions, if they have prior knowledge, etc.  I guess I thought I was cheating by doing this, but I feel greatly better about my lessons now.