Dawn Mitchell's Blog Post 2 - Regie Routman's Chapter 5 - Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

Dawn Mitchell's Blog Post 2 - Regie Routman's Chapter 5 - Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

During the month of September our literacy professional development focuses on creating a print rich classroom environment, organizing your classroom library to promote student interests in a wide variety of genres and topics and authors, and most of all to provide students with choices that tap in to their interests and abilities. 

In September’s blendspace you will find a variety of resources including read alouds from Miller’s “No More Independent Reading Without Support” as well as Atwell’s “Pleasure Principle” and one of my favorites highlighted within that article, “The Reader’s Bill of Rights.”  In addition to those texts, you will find resources created by many of our district literacy coaches and teachers including videos of classroom libraries, checklists for a print rich literacy environment and a well-stocked classroom library.

In talking about the importance of choice with respect to our students, we also want each of you to know that teachers need choices too.  We do not want anyone to feel pressure to have the same classroom library and we are not advocating a “cookie-cutter” approach to classroom libraries.  In order for our classroom libraries to be effective and to equip students and teachers with the materials and the motivation needed to grow as independent readers they need to be in a constant state of growth. 

In chapter 5, Routman validates the importance of effective classroom libraries and on page 64 she states, “The most effective reading programs are generally supported by large classroom libraries.  The better the libraries, the better the reading achievement as measured by standardized tests.  Books contribute more strongly to reading achievement than any computer software does.  Schools with lots of low-income families have far fewer books available for students, and classroom libraries can help level that playing field.  Simply put, children read a great deal more when they have access to books, and well-designed, organized, ample classroom libraries provide the easiest access for students.”

A few take aways that I had from this chapter are:

*The importance of well-timed, high interest book talks.  Penny Kittle in her professional dev. text, “Book Love” that I am also reading promotes book talks as well as an integral part of independent reading where the teacher and then students take a few minutes at the beginning of independent reading each week to share about a book from the classroom library that they are reading.

*The importance of high – interest books.  Routman explains how important high-interest books are to struggling readers.  I would argue they are important to all of us.  How many of us, as proficient adult readers value some light reading?  Um, this girl right here has her hand held up high!  I love my Southern Living and my South Carolina Wild Life magazine as much as anyone.  I also love a little In Style when I am in the chair once in a while to get my hair cut or every morning when I am reading my devotional and the news on my smart phone.  Light reading does not account to poor reading.  It is part of a balanced reader’s diet.  It has a place in the library and in our students’ hands too.

Routman says, “It really doesn’t matter much what kids read as long as they read and enjoy what they’re reading.  By gently nudging them and introducing them to better literature – through reading aloud, co-reading, and putting books into their hands – their reading tastes will eventually grow into more sophisticated materials.”

*The importance of a variety of books – Routman says, “An adequate classroom library will have at least two hundred books, but an excellent library will have more than a thousand.” She explains the importance to include multiple copies of favorite books, to include books in a series to motivate author studies, and to promote clear procedures with students in charge and involved of the care of the library including the daily book sign out in order to keep managing the classroom.

*The importance of organizing the classroom library around what students’ interests are.  On page 68 Routman suggests creating baskets/bins/tubs of books organized by topics that students choose.  Using an interest inventory, a survey, a poll, or even a conference to find out what they like to read and then organizing your classroom library to include these popular text sets can go a long way in motivating students to read and to find what they like to read.  Routman says, “The top three choices for more than seventeen hundred sixth graders in twenty-three diverse schools were magazines, adventure books, and mysteries.”  Don’t go by this survey though, let your students tell you what they like to read. 

*Avoid organizing by leveled bins – Routman says, “While levels can be a helpful guide for teaching students, we need to be careful to factor in the quality of the text and students’ interests.  When we show students how to select “just-right” books, even older struggling readers can appropriately choose books.”

*The importance of nonfiction books – Routman says, “More nonfiction reading leads to more informational writing, which is related to higher reading achievement.”  Routman goes on to cite a study from second grade teachers in Tenafly, New Jersey that taught all of their reading through nonfiction books connected to science and social studies.  She said students not only learned a tremendous amount about the world but they also tested above grade level in reading on standardized tests.

*The importance of talking about books – Many of you have heard me share my book review genre of study in writing workshop and how I’ve used the book review unit to integrate reading and writing and to promote students analyzing what they read in order to argue for or against reading it.  Many times we even publish our book reviews on web 2.0 sites like Amazon or Barnes and Noble in order to inform other readers about our opinions.  Routman does this too through her “top-ten” lists. 

*The importance of creating a cozy climate – You know when a book nook beckons to you. It’s the cozy café seating at Barnes and Noble with the smell of coffee and new books all around you and the low level lighting beckoning you to come in.  It’s the children’s section of the local public library that has books artfully arranged by staff, colorful carpets with big books and eye level baskets full of board books.  It is important to think about our classroom library aesthetic environment as well, doing the best we can with what we have to make that spot as inviting as possible.  I loved Routman’s idea on page 78 of using rain gutters to display books.  I have seen this on pinterest and have admired them as well. 

As we enter in to our first full month of school with September, there is a promise in the air of a new year, with new students, and a new found support for best practices in literacy.  Let’s start with our classroom environments.  It’s where our students will spend most of their day time hours.  Let’s make room for reading, room for choice, and a room that is inviting and motivating for this year’s readers.  Let me know how I can help.

Sincerely,

Dawn