Blog Post 3 October: Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 5: Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

Blog Post 3 October:  Donna Farmer’s Routman’s Chapter 5: Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

During my years of college, I began collecting books for my classroom library.  In the beginning, I was choosing the least expensive books in order to build a substantial supply.  I was able to ‘try out’ some of them with my own child.  If she enjoyed it, then maybe my soon to be students would as well.  As I was building my library, I began to focus on genres and authors.  During this time, I began to better understand literacy and how authors leave impressions.  Reading to my own child, I realized she was more engaged when we read books that interested her.  Therefore, book purchases were made according to her interest.  Unknowingly, I was becoming better prepared for teaching.  Equipped with this knowledge, when I first began teaching, I was able to hone in on student interest and jumpstart the year with engaged reading. 

Through the years, I have tried various ways to organize my classroom library.  Books are in baskets, facing the reader.  This year, I have considered using a different method to display them.  I thought that organizing books with the binder displayed would save space and I struggled with making that change.  Routman emphasizes the importance of displaying books with the cover in full view, as if marketing the book to a buyer.  Well, our students are the buyers and it is up to us to sell the book.  We have to approach it not only as selling a book, but we are selling knowledge.  We are selling to build a future reader.  My books will continue to face forward.

Currently, I have books organized by genre, author, and season.   At the beginning of the year, I create a new basket based on student interest so they will always have something to go to. 

One of my students has an avid interest in Christian music and the Bible.  In order to help him learn to read, he bought his own Bible from home.  His mother wrote out the Ten Commandments for him and he brought those to school as well.  I typed them and highlighted high frequency words for him to practice.  I also printed the lyrics to his favorite song and highlighted those words for him to learn.  I agree with Routman: “It really doesn’t matter much what kids read as long as they read and enjoy what they’re reading.”

My biggest problem with my classroom library is placing the books that do not fit in with my genres, authors, or seasons.  I have taken those books and placed them in one basket.  This basket is stored UNDER the bench in the reading center where no one ever looks at them.  These poor lonely books.  If only I could figure out how to incorporate them into my library!

According to Routman, Book Talk should be a Hot topic.  Although students share reading with other students, I fail to make time for whole group book talk.  Making a top ten list might be a cool thing for all of us to work on as well.  I will consider incorporating these into my future lessons.

Although I feel confident about my classroom library, there is always room for improvement.  The goal is to encourage students to read while building a love for books.  Sometimes, it only takes the cover of a book to invite a child to read.  Once we can get them hooked, the rest will fall into place.