Independent Reading

Great Article about Independent Reading and Literature Circles!

2010-05-11T17:59:00.003-04:00

/http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/join-the-club-supporting-independent-reading-with-book-groups/

NCTE Convention 2009

2010-02-26T19:33:00.002-05:00

I know this post is a bit late. It has been a crazy few months. But, today we had a snow day! Pretty exciting for NYC School teachers. Anyway, I ended up "presenting" at NCTE's convention this past November. It was also my first time attending and WOW! I was completely overwhelmed. There is so much to do and see and not nearly enough time. I went to a few of the workshops. Regarding the workshop idea-I have a few complaints. There are simply too many that the ones you do decide to attend are somewhat empty. While that does allow for more communication with the presenters, 20 people in an enormous ballroom is leaves you feeling somewhat isolated. Also, they seemed somewhat repetitive. Anyway, I got some great ideas from a workshop I attended about teaching Shakespeare!

Anyway, here is a picture of my poster presentation. There is also a copy of the newsletter I created for anyone that came by. It would help the teacher who has not begun independent reading in the classroom yet or the teacher who has begun the process but has been facing hurdles. I hope you enjoy it!

Candice

Great Books to Add to Your Library!

2009-11-13T19:46:00.004-05:00

These books would not only be a great addition to your classroom library but are also recommended for anyone looking to start a classroom library.

*Disclaimer: I have asterisked any books that may have mature or inappropriate language. When in doubt, screen the books first. I haven't had any problems with censorship so my library may be a little more "liberal" than your own.

Reading levels are arguable.While I work with struggling 9th graders, they are high achieving students for the most part. If you require further information regarding difficulty levels, additional information can sometimes be found in the book and other times through amazon.com.

What a Successful Independent Reading Program Requires

2009-11-09T22:16:00.000-05:00

When I first began teaching, the independent reading portion of my class was pretty sad. The students didn't enjoy it. I had a hard time monitoring them. It was just a struggle. After a lot of reflecting and some creative thinking, I was much more successful the following year. I suggest that any teacher considering independent reading give it a try! The important thing to keep in mind is that more organized you are, the more successful you will be. Here is what you'll need to begin:

1. A diverse and well-stocked classroom library.

I should begin by saying a school with a great library and cooperative librarian does not necessarily need a classroom library. However, having books in the room is much easier for everyone. The library should have books of various genres and levels. Furthermore, a system should be in place for signing books out and in. Surprisingly, the students take very good care of the books when the issue is stressed. If money is an issue for your school, a post around that issue will be available soon!

2. Composition notebooks or individual binders.

Independent reading is for the students, however, they need to be held accountable for their reading. That is where independent reading responses come in. Everyday, after the teacher has ended independent reading, the students should take 5-7 minutes to write reflectively on what they read. (Note: this shouldn't be a summary. It should be a personal response.) These can be kept in a composition notebook or binder. I prefer binders so that when I collect them every few weeks, I can just collect the independent reading responses I want and I don't have to carry 20+ notebooks around with me.

3. Organization.

Independent reading requires strict organization on the teacher's part from day one. Things you will need:

a. A sign-out binder or notebook for students to use when they check books out and return them.
b. A calendar to keep track of independent reading responses. (I keep this in the sign out binder.) On it, for each day, I mark down the IRR (independent reading response) we are on. I also mark down when I've collected them. Each new marking period, I start from #1. Ideally, they should be collected and reviewed every 2 weeks by the teacher.

Independent Reading and Maintaining Classroom Silence

2009-11-04T18:22:00.001-05:00

I suppose I was somewhat spoiled last year because my class really enjoyed independent reading. So much so that I rarely had to ask anyone to stop talking or to be quiet. The class would sit there for up to 30 minutes and read silently without bothering one another. This year, my class is substantially smaller. I only have 21 students. However, not only does it take at least five minutes to calm the class down and begin reading, but I've had to spend the entire independent reading time asking students to be quiet over and over again. Overall, they seem to be a more energetic class. The issue I am now facing though is how to impose consequences for the students that refuse to sit quietly and read. Not completing an independent reading response is not really an option because reading a page or two of a book is usually enough to base a response on. I thought about taking the opportunity to write an independent reading response away all together, but then the student has to reason to stop talking. Yes, their class grade will suffer, but in the meantime, he or she will still disturb everyone else trying to read silently. The students talking are usually the ones sitting in the reading corner. My first plan of attack is to break the group up. I hate doing so because they get along so well and look so precious as they sit on the carpet and beanbag chairs close to one another and read, however, they also have a difficult time not talking to one another.

I try to avoid enforcing so many rules during independent reading. The process should be organic and comfy. At the same time, some students do not do well with too much freedom, so a certain amount of rules are necessary to keep the class in order. This will have to be one of the new rules. Hopefully, in a week or two, these students will be allowed to sit back where they feel most comfortable. I will keep you posted.

Is Reading Still Successful if a Book Isn't Completed?

2009-11-02T09:17:00.003-05:00

Part of the independent reading process is that the practice of it is 100% enjoyable. Think about any reading you did over the summer. Did you finish every book you began? If not, why? Two possible reasons come to mind: you were not enjoying the book or you didn't have the time to finish it. It is for this reason that I allow students to abandon any book they are not enjoying. When a student decides that the book they are reading is interesting or engaging enough, they ask me for a "Book Abandonment Form" and fill it out and return it back to me by the next day. The purpose of this form is to encourage students to think about why they were not enjoying this book. This process will hopefully lead to the students finding more books they really do enjoy. Here is a sample "Book Abandonment Form" from one of my students:

Name: Paulie                                  Date Started: 9/24/09

Date Abandoned: 10/14/09            Title: Travel Team

Author: Mike Lupica        Pages Read: 1-55

Reason(s) for Abandoning:

I am abandoning this book because its too long. Also, because I get bored while reading it. I fall asleep while reading it in class and at home. Also, it barely has problems in the book. Even though its not that bad. I just don't like reading it a lot.

Its apparent that Travel Team was not engaging enough for Paulie. Since then, I've only seen him read biographies about professional athletes and Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. While I've never read a biography about a professional athlete, I can imagine that a sports lover like Paulie would really enjoy learning about how professional athletes became so successful. Furthermore, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul is full of drama, conflict and emotion. Not only does Paulie's "Book Abandonment Form" encourage him to think about the books he reads, but it helps both him and me understand his reading preferences.

So, I encourage you to think about your idea of successful reading. Is reading successful just because a book is completed even if getting to the end of the book was nothing short of torture? Or does successful reading occur when we read a book and thoughtfully decide if continuing or completing it will increase our love of reading? I tend to think think that all reading should be enjoyable therefore my students should never read a book they do not enjoy. My goal is to help students develop a love for reading and become independent readers for life. What do you think?

Welcome!

2009-10-28T20:25:00.001-04:00

I teach a double period English class for struggling 9th graders. I am in my 3rd year of teaching this same class (and teaching in general). During my first year, the Independent Reading portion of the class was just a mess and I was frustrated and overwhelmed. I spent time the following summer attempting to figure out why independent reading didn't work that first year and how I could make it better. Here is what I came up with:

-Independent Reading is part of class but it should be enjoyable. The books I had to work with were outdated and did not reflect the students' taste. It will never work without a strong, well-organized library.

-Independent Reading will only work when there is a variety of materials of various difficulty levels, genres, authors and subjects.

-Creating successful independent readers requires accountability for the students. They need to enjoy what they are reading however still know that their reading will be monitored.

-Every student can be successful at independent reading. It will take the teacher time, effort and money to make this happen. Finally and possibly most importantly, successful independent reading requires an organized plan of attack!

Contact Me

2009-10-28T12:02:00.004-04:00

Thank You

2009-10-27T12:02:00.002-04:00

I look forward to both reading your email and responding.

Best,

Candice Chiavola