The Book Whisperer- Chapter 2

I am really getting into this book! I am answering some of the discussion questions I got off of "Thinking of Teaching":





Discussion Questions:

1) Would you start the year off with a book frenzy similar to Miller's or would you adapt it?
I like the idea of children self selecting books. My students do this for the most part anyways as I teach first grade. We are not reading chapter books as a whole class. I really feel like I need to let them READ for PLEASURE more often though. My students are always reading when they should be doing something else, and with the way the schedule is, it is always hard to fit in DEAR time. But I think I need to reassess and try and MAKE the time. I also allow my students to pick their book for their nightly reading log. Books are in a bucket by their levels and they pick from the bucket with their name on it.


2) What were your impressions of Miller's more positive descriptions of the three types of readers?
I liked the more positive descriptions. I don't think a child needs to associate anything about reading in a negative light. Although, you hope a child doesn't know they are called a struggling reader, it might boost their esteem to purposefully give them a positive "name" for their reading stage.

3) 40 books!!! What do you think of that??
40 seems like a ton!!!! I wonder how many meet that goal? I think it sounds overwhelming! Of course I am assuming she is talking about chapter books. Teaching first grade, I hope my students hear and read more than 40 picture books during a single school year. This has opened my eyes to doing more read alouds as I feel like each year I am doing less and less- why? I have no idea! They love read alouds and are soooo good during them! I think it comes back down to schedules!! 




I found this quote very true to how things are anymore:
"While teachers focus their instructional efforts of the students who are at risk of failing state assessments or classes, there is a whole group of readers who are taken for granted"  How true is that?! I always think how badly I feel for my "average" or "higher" readers. I feel like they just stay stagnant while teachers struggle with the "struggling" readers. Every year I try and find ways to help "the rest." 


I also thought I would try out this whole "link" thing :)  I know I like jumping from blog to blog, and this is a good way for those reading the same book to be "connected".

I look forward to the rest of this book!