More Book Love

The inspiration continues . . .

I wanted to create this post as a reflection of the big ideas I am taking from the next couple chapters of Penny Kittle's Book Love.  I hope this posting encourages teachers (of all grades) to pick up this book to get more information and to inspire the way reading will touch and change the lives of the students in their classroom!

Chapters #5 - "The Power of the Book Talk"

1. "I usually talk about four or five books a day during the first week of school because I want to put a lot of titles out there.  I need to help the many students who will struggle to find a book at first.  I expect students will keep a list of what they want to read next on the last page of their writing notebooks.  I check for this every time I read their notebooks."
2. Book Talk Essentials - A) Hold the book, B) Know the book - summarize its theme, central conflict etc., C)  Read a short passage, D) Keep records - posting the title of this book talk in the classroom, E) Accept help - students, parents, other teachers, librarians, bookstore owners, and even administrators could do book talks, and F) Remember how important you are - your passion is contagious!
3. "Reading is oxygen for a student's future success." 
4. "A key difference between readers and nonreaders is readers have plans.  A list they created will lead them more quickly to that next book.  I am always teaching and organizing towards independence for students and the to-read-next list is critical."
5. "Students read in my class for three critical reasons. First, I need to see their engagement with their books.  Second, while the students are reading, I have time to confer.  Third, students need to practice this central skill."
6. Our Classroom Community - "We read, write, talk, and think together in this place.  There is collaboration and interdependence in our work, these kids belong together.  Everyone belongs. Building classroom community is dropout-prevention work."
7. Building community - A) Assign seats, B) Change seating assignments every month, C) Build talk into everything that happens in the classroom.
8. "Ive always said the books do the work to capture readers.  And equal to that, the community of readers and writers carries the energy in the room.  Over there on the sidelines, cheering them on?  That's you and me."

Chapter #6 - "Conferences"

1. "A student says, for example, 'I'm not a reader.'  I say, 'Oh, I expect you just haven't found the right book yet.' This is the intentional language of conferences."
2. "Reading conferences fall into three categories:  A) Monitoring the student's reading life, B) Teaching strategic reading, C) Helping the student plan the complexity and challenge of her reading.  My goal is to place my teaching where it can be most helpful."

In chapter #6, teachers are given specific questions that they can use in their conferences with the  students.  The important piece I discovered in this chapter was that if conferencing is not a comfort for teachers - this chapter would provide structures that will build that confidence.  Penny Kittle provides questions on "Conferences that Monitor a Reading Life," "Conferences that Teach a Reading Strategy," and "Conferences that Increase Complexity and Challenge."  Great ideas!