A Review of The Book Whisperer

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child  is written by Donalyn Miller, a 6th grade language arts and social studies teacher from Texas. 

In this book, Miller explains her theory for teaching children to be life-long readers.  To read and to like reading, one must spend time reading and reading many kinds of books.  The book outlines how she begins her year motivating students to read and gives her expectations in the classroom.  It includes some student opinions and student samples of surveys.

Miller gives us a theoretical background of the reading philosophy and her rationale.  She explains how her classroom library is set up and how it is managed.  Students have a reading notebook and it is explained within the pages of this book.  Even Miller keeps a reading notebook during the year which she tells us about.  In the back of the book are appendices with some surveys and book lists.
For accountability and grading purposes, Miller shares some traditional practices found in reading classrooms ( such as book reports, reading logs, comprehension texts) and offers some alternatives. 

The Book Whisperer will ignite your reading teacher passion! After reading this book, you will be able to start teaching reading Miller's way of reading right away.  However, there will be some administrators that will not like seeing this type of teaching.  They are happier with tangible products of reading.  They want students reading the same books and doing a certain worksheet or project to prove they have read the book or that they understand the book. Additionally, many teachers are required to teach a certain program or with specific materials.  You can still incorporate Miller's ideas - it just may take a little creativity.



Needed if you are to teach like the Book Whisperer:
1. Access to many books --many genres of various reading levels. It is best if they are books that are either yours or can be kept in your room.

2. You need to be a reader yourself - read so you can authentically converse about books and so you can recommend books

3. Time to read - class time , stolen moments, at home

4. A belief that all are readers- be positive and dont put labels on children ( struggling reader, reluctant reader) Find the books that will hook the child in and help them become stronger readers.


If you are a language arts teacher or even if you are not: I recommend this book should be in your stack of professional resource books to read.    Add it to your stack!

The Book Whisperer: Awakeneing the Inner Reader in Every Child.  
             ~ by Donalyn Miller   



Have you read this book?  What other books are in your stack? 

 

Any Questions?

To Be or Not to Be, Cool - That is the Question

Slowly the schools in our district are being air conditioned.  It takes money to get it all done and there have been bonds that we voted on to get it done, but it has been a long road as all buildings cool off. 

It seems we start school earlier and earlier every year.  This year the first day with students was August 16th.  Temperatures have been in the upper 90's to low 100's  (35 - 39 C ) during this time. 

Any new buildings are built with central air.  Many of the older buildings have been fitted large, noisy window air conditioners.  This requires that classrooms keep their doors shut to keep the cool in and the hallways are still very hot and humid.  The superintendent stated on the news last week the plan would be to eventually phase these window boxes out and upgrade to central air for all.  More money, do doubt. 

But as of this school year,  two thirds of our junior high buildings remain unairconditioned.   Now think about this.  These kids have had airconditioning all through their elementary and middle school years.  Most have air conditioning at home.  Now they are being asked to go spend 8-10 hours of their in hot, humid conditions and to focus on learning. 

The public's reaction is interesting.  Through comments in the newspaper and call-in radio shows many people chide students & teachers today for needing to have air-condition.  Back in the day, they didn't have air and so why do kids today need air? 

I wonder how many of these people are working in unairconditioned environments?    

 It reminds me of  when my mother used to say she walked 2 miles to school every day -- in all weather -- up hill both ways and barefoot.  

I don't think we can compare our experiences from yesteryear to today's experiences.  Even school today is much different than school back in the day.  Perhaps the people who are grumbling about kids having it too easy should spend a few days or a couple weeks at school and see what is going on.  Let them experience the hot weather in an old building while having to learn.  Let them see what kids are even learning today-- oftentimes much more is required now than what was required then. 

Do you think it is necessary to have air-conditioned schools today?

In the Hands of a Few

A nearby little town held their school board meeting last night.  On the agenda was whether they are going to renew the contract for next year of the elementary principal.

Parents in the town are upset and determined to have a voice.  They have ascended upon the meeting. 
According to one mother, "I just want to have the information for myself, show me the evidence.  I can make up my own mind.  I like this principal, she is the best." 

Later in the evening it was revealed that the superintendent feels the principal did not turn in some paperwork on time last year.  When he asked to see some of it, she was unable to produce it.  Her story is that she did the paperwork as necessary and turned it in to the state as required.  The state has not returned it to her.  

I do not know if the paperwork was done or not.  Frankly, I don't care.  Is that a reason to fire someone?  Especially if that person has a good track record and is well liked in the community?  It  sounds more like a power struggle or a jealousy problem to me. 

This is one thing that irks me in the education field right now.  One person or a few people hold the career of good teachers and administrators in their hands.  If she does get terminated, she will have to move if she wants to stay in her field.  She will also have to have this clouding up any future employment application.  They all ask-- have you ever been asked to leave or not had your contract renewed?   That right there may keep her out of a possible job.  It may close the door. 

 Now this Superintendent could be doing this out of spite, weakness, or malice. 

I don't know how the meeting ended.  I just know that there is a lot of bull --oney  that goes on in the education field right now. 

Let the teachers teach!    

I've got the Answer

Sometimes I wish I could just shut the door on the bureaucracy, the ridiculous mandates, the ever-increasing busywork that is being thrust upon us and JUST TEACH. 

That is way to increase achievement and close any gaps. 

Don't Forget to Smell the Roses on those Stinky Days

I read the following from a fellow teacher's blog.  It spoke to me and I need to remember to slow down on those hard days and to "smell the roses."  
This blog writer/teacher is insightful and always resourceful.  She wrote this February 3rd.  I encourage you to go to her blog and read her musings....  

Blogging Through the Fourth Dimension  

When the Day is Tough

No matter the noise, no matter the distractions, no matter how perhaps one lesson didn't go quite as expected. There is always something good to see, something wonderful to praise, and something that deserves to be recognized.


When the day has been rough and the kids have been tough, take the time to huddle. Take the time to relish the good moments because no matter what, they are there, waiting to be discovered, waiting to be remembered and shared.

So take a deep breath, gather them on the carpet, and ask them to share that one good thing from the day. Go around the circle, come back to those that need extra time, and then smile. Twenty-three golden moments all out in the open; the day couldn't have been that bad after all.

A twist on a favorite prayer

God grant me Serenity

to appreciate the unique gifts

of my students,

Courage to challenge

them to do their best,

and Wisdom

to help them become

all that You created them to be.