Ensuring Excellent Readers

Regie Routman has a great list of things to do to ensure that students become good readers. I have been able to see most of the list in action within the classroom but I would like to see how to evaluate students on a more regular basis. I find that time becomes an issue with this expectation. The struggling students are worked with on a regular basis and they are the ones that really need the extra time. I would like to know how to evaluate and challenge the students who are above average and give them equal time to ensure that they do not become bored with reading.

As I have observed many, many classrooms this year, one part of the classroom always catches my eye, the class library. Yes, every school has their big library but I am constantly amazed at the collection of books within the classrooms. In every classroom I have been in there are at least (usually more) two bookshelves filled with an array of books. Some are more organized than others, which I see being an important part of having a classroom library.

The class I am in for my main placement has an amazing library. Each basket is labeled with the author of the books or the subject/content of the book (like animals, holidays,etc). This way if the students enjoys reading a certain authors books, say Kevin Henkes, then they know to go directly to the basket with his name on it and find one that appeals to them. The students are allowed to check out books from the classroom library once a week and then a few students are in charge of returning the books to the correct baskets once they are returned.

Giving students time to read is also very important. I sometimes question the silent reading time that the students are given and wonder how to hold them accountable for their readings. I tend to see students day dreaming during reading time instead of them investing their time actually reading.