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Danna :)

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Danna :)

This chapter is all about carving out the time in the school day for independent reading. "The question can no longer be "How can we make time for independent reading?" The question must be "How can we not?" Miller refers to Krashen's research which found no single literacy activity to have a more positive effect on students' comprehension, vocabulary knowledge, spelling, writing ability and overall academic achieve than free voluntary reading. AMEN.

We need to look very carefully at our school day and discover or rather uncover, those moments when we can steal a bit of time for reading. Miller talks about her students carrying books around with them wherever they go so they can take advantage of those moments that otherwise get lost in our days. Within the classroom, the Daily 5 model of having book bins for each student, filled with 5-8 books, ready to go at all times, is extremely helpful when trying to capture those minutes for reading. Miller also challenges us to really look at our literacy program...those practices, worksheets, drills...that may or may not be the best use of our time.

In this chapter Miller also talks about the best place to read...which is pretty much anywhere. I think with Daily 5 we do a pretty good job of making our rooms "reader friendly." We no longer have a "reading corner" or one single place that students go to read. Rather, we have desks, tipped over chairs to lean on with a pillow, bean bags, large floor pillows, carpet squares, laundry baskets, and even couches available for students to use for reading wherever they wish...so long as they are READING.

Think about your room and your "floorplan" for 16-17 school year, if you will. How will you create a space that invites, even begs, your student's to get lost in their books?

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Danna :)
These are great tools for teachers. While I don't know that all of the questions are appropriate for some of the lower grades...like 3rd, maybe even 4th...I do believe that a well-written survey can help teachers gently nudge students in the right direction and provide a book suggestion that could very well be the spark that fuels the fire. I love that she reads the surveys, looking for her students' needs as readers and then "whispers back with books."

I think for most teachers a two huge challenges are 1) building classroom libraries and 2) increasing their own personal knowledge of the books they have in their libraries so teachers can make recommendations to their students.

This is where I think we can work together. Teachers need to share books with each other and be resources we can tap into when searching for the just-right books for our students. Food for thought and something to work on for next year...:)

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Danna :)
"Embracing their inner reader starts with students selecting their own books to read." Choice matters...and we keep hearing it over and over and over again from various researchers in the realm of literacy instruction and from those reading gurus that guide us in helping our students reach their reading potential.

Types of Readers
There are three types of readers according to Miller: developing, dormant, and underground. One of my twins is a developing reader...and I'll admit I have always called her a "struggling reader," but  the term developing reader honors the growth mindset that this whole "reading thing," in her words, is a continuum, and like her pediatric growth chart, she is following her own reading curve, in her own time. She absolutely has the potential to become a strong reader with good-fit books, reading, reading, and more reading, and instruction in those strategies that will help her move along that continuum. But it's hard to find the balance between mom and teacher mom...and entrusting that her actual teachers will get her there. She begins 5th grade in August and so far...it hasn't happened so I am upping the ante and stepping in.

I, myself, am a dormant reader. There was a time in my adolescence when I was an underground reader, but once I hit college, I truly became a dormant reader, reading for school only and not for pleasure...EVER. I never struggled with reading and could read and comprehend most anything given to me, but I just didn't like reading and like I've confessed before...I still struggle with liking reading. Once I am reading I tend to become immersed in the book/article/essay and actually enjoy it...but it's not something I do daily...and not something I even want to do daily. I am trying though. I force myself to read in the hope that I will break through this wall of sorts and really embrace reading.

Then there are those underground readers...the gifted readers who just can't wait to finish with what they HAVE to read so they can get to what they really WANT to read. Fortunately, my other twin daughter absolutely loves to read and will really read anything you give her happily.  So in a way, she fits into a category all her own. As a teacher, we hope we have students like her in our class who just love reading...with no strings...no matter what the task...they just love to read. I just hope and pray that it continues for her and she continues to read, read, read.

Conditions for Learning
Australian researcher, Brian Cambourne, identified 8 factors that contribute to successful learning:

1. Immersion

2. Demonstrations

3. Expectations

4. Responsibility

5. Employment

6. Approximations

7. Response

8. Engagement

As I read through the description of each condition as it relates to reading, the Daily 5 framework and CAFE model of literacy instruction were validated time and time again. These factors are truly worth reading through and sharing with teams. It's GOOD teaching...plain and simple.

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Danna

I have been camping for four days and just got back into town. I brought my laptop and was all ready to post on Monday but no suck luck with the poor wifi. I will catch up tonight/tomorrow!

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Introduction and Chapter 1 - There and Back Again

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Introduction and Chapter 1 - There and Back Again

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Danna :)

First things first. I am in awe of this author. Actually, all "readers" really leave me feeling a little bit jealous. I am NOT a reader. NOPE. I am not. I do it because I have to. I push myself to read. I don't always enjoy it...but there are times that I actually do. I totally feel our students who don't like to read. I really get it. As a mother, I have twins...a reader and a non-reader. I did nothing different with the girls...they were exposed to the same books from before they were born when I read to my belly, to the same nightly stories...yet one will read book after book and to the other, reading is a little bit like forced torture.

I love that Donalyn was honest about her first teaching assignment. That her perfectly planned novel unit fell apart "when her students showed up." Oh yeah. We've all been there. Her research and decision to then implement a workshop model I think is the direction the Sisters went as well when they realized their literacy instruction wasn't working. But I get the idea that even that didn't really work for her...or her students they way she envisioned.

I peaked ahead to Chapter 2 and merely skimmed it but wow...several a-ha's are there to be had! Can't wait to read more from Donalyn.

Wait. Did I just say I can't wait to read more? Go figure. ;)

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Welcome to our Summer '16 The Book Whisperer Book Study!

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Welcome to our Summer '16 The Book Whisperer Book Study!

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Danna :)

I am hoping this book study will provide some structure and guidance for your reading of The Book Whisperer book. I know it's nice to have a little "push" sometimes to get you started and keep you on track. A few things to keep in mind:

1. Check the Chapter Reading Schedule post and be sure to have the chapter(s) read by the date given.

2. There are no guiding questions per se, but I will lead off the week with a post sharing my thoughts and some possible discussion points.

3. After completing the reading(s) for the week, way-in on the chapter by creating your own post. Be sure to title your post with the correct chapter so it can easily be referenced by others. Feel free to ask questions, make comments, post ideas, etc. Don't forget to add your name so we can chat back and forth!

See you all here beginning Monday, June 20th! :)

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Week of 6/20
Chapter 1: There and Back Again

Week of 6/27
Chapter 2: Everybody Is a Reader
Whisper  STUDENT SURVEYS

Week of 7/5
Chapter 3: There's a Time and a Place

Week 7/11
Chapter 4: Reading Freedom
Whisper  READER'S NOTEBOOKS

Week of 7/18
Chapter 5: Walking the Walk

Week 7/25
Chapter 6: Cutting the Teacher Strings
Whisper  END-OF-THE-YEAR EVALUATIONS

Week of 8/1
Chapter 7: Letting Go