I read the article, Organizing an Outstanding Classroom Library. The article discusses how to organize a classroom library that is inviting, includes a variety of genres and literary forms, current, culturally diverse, created with student input, and accessible to all readers, including struggling readers.
Every time I read an article like this I pull out a pen and piece of paper. I underline ideas that appeal to me and write a checklist of things I need to do to make my classroom more literacy enriched and inviting. I love reading and I have been collecting children's books for many years. I have brought most of my books into the classroom and yet I have found that most of the books I enjoy reading or enjoyed as a child, my students find "too long." In the third grade I was reading chapter books within several hours and starting on a new book as soon as the first was finished. Most of my students who are reading on grade level enjoy reading simple books such as The Gruffalo and my struggling readers try to read chapter books like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. I have not taught my students the importance of choosing just right books and I believe this is why they are not as avid readers as they should be or can be. It is essential to create a classroom environment that appeals to all types of readers. I will use this idea of organizing an outstanding classroom room library as a gateway to invite my students into a world of reading they have never experienced before, but first I must teach the importance of choosing the "just right" book. For organizing my library, I will start out by holding a book browsing lesson where the students will browse several genres and types of books to expose them to different types of texts. Next, the students will pick out the books they liked best and I will include those texts in the classroom library. I think it will be beneficial to do this several times during the year so see how students interests grow an change. For me, I think this will be a great start to organizing a library that is both appealing and beneficial to my students.
I agree with you, a lot of the books in my classroom library are ones that I enjoyed reading as a kid. I sometimes find that my students are not as excited about the books as I once was. That is why I love that this article teaches you to get to know your students as readers. As efficient teachers we have to get to know our students interests. What genres do they like to read? What types of literature are they reading? By doing this we are able to find "just right" books for our students and activate their excitement about reading.
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate you reflecting on your classroom library. I, too love to read and am constantly on the look out for great books to use as read alouds, to share with specific students, and to add to my library. I want to encourage you to engage your students in mini-lessons on choosing just right books, on different genres that may be of interest to them, and I also want to encourage you to consider trying out book talks and top ten lists where you and your students create a top ten list of your current favorite books. I want to recommend that you read Routman's Reading Essentials next and consider sharing your reading life with your students. It is a rich one and they can really benefit from seeing what you read and how that influences you in positive ways. Thank you! Dawn Mitchell
Thank you for all of the helpful advice! I really need help in planning mini lessons and I am going to be picking Mrs. Clair's brain for this.
DeleteAshley, once again you are so reflective about your teaching practices! Thank you for your honesty and your desire to improve. I like that you are going to consider book passes to increase student interest in books. I know that you are sharing your reading life too. Perhaps the work that you do with book selection will create the desire in your students to read that you are seeking. Continue to grow!
ReplyDeleteAs you can see from my reply above, I really would like your help with this. Add this to my list of things I need help with please. Thank you!
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