Category: Reading

being a teacher, being me, Reading, reflection

My Students Hate Our Read Aloud

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

I could tell they were falling asleep.  Drowning in their disinterest, faking it just for me.  So I tried to make the voices like they like, I tried to quicken the pace.  I emphasized the action that happened.  Nothing…  The read aloud had started 2 minutes ago yet it felt like an hour.

I closed the book.  Asked what was the matter.

“It’s so boring, Mrs. Ripp,” whined a student (yes really, whined).

“There’s no action…”chimed another.

“Remember how with “The False Prince” we asked you to keep reading?  That hasn’t happened once here!” exclaimed a third.  Heads nodding all around.

So I did what most teachers normally do when their meticulously chosen read aloud is torn apart, I got defensive.

“What do you mean there is no action?  Didn’t you just read this part?  And also, you have to give it a chance, not everything can happen all at once…”  I could hear my own sales pitch but I couldn’t stop it.  “Trust me, I  picked this book and it is phenomenal, it gets so good.”  I was starting to sound desperate.  I shut the book, sent them off to read, and sat n the rocking chair licking my wounds.  How could they question what I had chosen?  Didn’t they trust in my opinion?

Now, looking back on it I see what I should have done.  I should have listened.  Asked more questions, taken their notion to heart and opened it up for a classroom discussion.  I shouldn’t have gotten defensive, I shouldn’t have shut it down.  I shouldn’t have taken it personally.  It is not me, nor the book that is the problem.  It is the choice of the book right now that isn’t working, that’s all.

So tonight I realize that perhaps we need to just abandon the book.  That it is not a case of me being wrong on my selection; the book is one of my all time favorite books, but that it may just not be the right fit for us right now.  That it may not be the best read aloud.  That doesn’t make it a bad book, far from it.  It just means that kids should discover it on their own, at their own pace, much like I did when I first read it.

Tomorrow when I am with my students again, I will ask them their thoughts.  Should we abandon or should we continue forward?  I will not be offended, I will not become defensive.  I will instead take it as yet another learning moment just like I should have done from the start.  Although we try so hard to find the perfect read alouds for our class, they don’t always work.  And that’s ok.    It is when the students have the courage to speak up against our choice that we must listen the hardest.  After all, as teachers isn’t that we strive for them to gain?  The courage and independence to form an opinion about something?

My students didn’t set out to upset me, nor to disappoint me.  They spoke up so that we could be saved 200 pages more worth of bored read aloud time.  I am not mad, nor upset anymore, but instead renewed by the challenge of finding the perfect read aloud.  The one that will have the students begging for just one more page.  The one that they will clamor to read themselves once I am done.  That’s the one I need to find.  And the best part, I know it is out there.

Post Script:

Today we talked about the book, I shared with them the new book that they could switch to and then we did a secret vote.  In the end, I was surprised.  The majority decided to stay with our current read aloud, however, I struck a deal with the other disappointed kids.  We will revote in 50 pages and see if we want to continue with it then or not.

I then discovered something important as I read aloud.  While I hate to stop a read aloud, I asked them if they knew what a passage meant.  They had no idea.  Between my sub and I, we had not discovered that the students were not catching a lot of the meanings in the text or even some of the context!  I had miscalculated their background knowledge as well as their vocabulary.  No wonder they dislike the book so much, they were missing half of the action.  As I finished our read aloud telling them a little bit about WWI, I could see I was re-hooking them into the book.  While it may not be everybody’s favorite book still, I think it still has a chance…

being me, Reading, reflection

I Am a Reader

Pernille Ripp
image from etsy

I have always been a reader but I was never a proud reader in my classroom until a year ago.  I realized then that to inspire deep passion in my readers I had to share my own.  I realized then that to inspire my students to keep reaching for books I had to show my own hunger for more.  Now I am reader because I know it matters.  I am reader because it teaches me more.

I am a reader because I can hand books to students knowing that they will love them.

I am a reader because I need to get lost in books as much as my students do.

I am a reader because I want to live a thousand lives and travel to a million places.

I am a reader because my life would be gray without all of my books.

I am a reader because I cannot pretend that reading is important, I have to live it.

I am a reader because it allows me to connect with any child I meet.

I am a reader because of the memories it creates.

I am a reader because of the moments I share with others.

I am a reader because my students need me to be.

I am a reader because my soul requires it.

Are you a reader?  Why?

 

Reading, reflection, students

Reading Is Bigger Than Us

Pernille Ripp
image from Facebook

My students used to read so they could do a book report.  They used to read so they could have a book talk with an adult.  They used to read so they could check off 1,000 pages.  Some read for the love of it, some for the occasional thrill, and some read because I told them to.  Much like many children today.  This year as we started to have deep discussion about the books we chose to read, I realized quickly that my students were unsure how to discuss a book, how to dig deeper and pull out answers from each other.  They even were unsure of why we were learning how to do this in the first place.  Surely reading doesn’t have much to do with conversations?

So when I asked them why we discuss our books, the most common answer was because we want to share them.  Because it gives us something to do at the end of reading.  Because it proves to you that we read.  Quietly I looked at them and then told them, “We don’t talk about books to just share them.  We don’t practice these reading conversations so that we have proof that we have read that day.  We don’t even do it to become better readers.  Reading and talking about reading is bigger than that.

We share our books because they show a part of us that others may not know.

We share our thoughts because it may give someone else the courage to share theirs.

We ask questions about books because we must learn to ask questions of others.  We must learn to adapt to any conversation thrust upon as adults.  To engage and be engaging whenever needed.  Sure, we practice our conversations through our love of books, but it is much bigger than that.  We practice these conversations so that we can be better people who are interested in those they meet.  Who can speak to strangers when needed.  Who can think quickly and respond well.

We may speak of books now, but you don’t know what life will need you to speak of later. ” A child that reads becomes an adult who thinks” and you, my students, are thinkers indeed.  So don’t think we do it just to wrap up reading, to have a nice little chat.  We do it because it is a life skill.  We do it for our love of reading, for our love of conversation, and for our love of people.  That’s why we have reading discussions; to connect with others and become better human beings.”

I hope they understood my rant.

 

Reading, reflection, Student-centered

Is There Room for Slow Readers in Your Class?

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

“…but I read as fast as I can…”  followed by tears and the teacher in me stopped while the parent in me took over.

“I know you do, and there is nothing wrong with savoring the words.  It is okay to be a slow reader as long as you are reading, that is all I care about.”

We focus so much on quantity of books read in school.  I even have the 40 book challenge adapted to my room so students know that the expectation is that they read 40 books in a year.  And yet, every year I modify it for a couple of kids.  They don’t need the challenge to read 40 books, they need the 10 book challenge instead, or even the 5 book challenge.  And so we discuss it privately and I ease their fears that they will not do as well in reading as they should just because of their reading pace.   I let them in on my secret that the 40 book challenge is not about who reaches 40 books first, but rather about reading more than one did the year before.  That there is no prize nor punishment for those who do not reach the 40 books, but rather just a year long focus on the love of reading and finding incredible books to dot our path in 5th grade.

We tell children that to become a great reader one must read a lot.  To become a fast reader one must read a lot.  We forget about the kids that do read a lot but read slowly, enjoying every moment, taking their time and studying the nuances.  We get so focused on hurrying them through the experience of reading that we forget to say it’s ok to be a slow reader, all that matters is that you read.  We make them ashamed of their pace, we push them inadvertently toward shorter or easier books because they want to read a lot of books rather than just read the books they want.

And so in the spirit of reflection, I wonder what we can do to celebrate our slow readers?  To make them feel that reading pace is nothing to be ashamed of and also to spread the word to other teachers that being a slow reader does not equal being a bad reader.  It just means that you read at a different pace than others.  That perhaps you take your time.  And sure, we should encourage and help children become faster readers, but not for the purpose of speed, but rather for the purpose of being ale to devour even more books.  There should not be a set reading pace for a 5th grader, there should not be a set amount of books that every child must read (and yes, I know I do this myself), but only the expectation to read.  Instead, we should expect our kids to reach higher, to read more, to read better, and set individual goals.  My slow readers taught me that.

I don’t have tears in my room this year over reading pace, they are all in our secret, they are all reading more without the pressure of reading enough.  The biggest gift was when one student told me that he noticed that he reads faster now and how much more fun books are because he doesn’t get bored as easily.  And while he does not think he will complete his 40 book challenge, he knows he will have read much more than he did the year before.  And so with him I celebrate the new goal and how he is reaching it.  That is what matters in reading.

I am a passionate (female) 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day.  First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students” will be released this March from Powerful Learning Press.   Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

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Reading, reflection

Where to Find Your Next Great Read – Some Ideas

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

Your library is amazing… words I never thought I would hear about my own classroom library.  And while I don’t think we are quite at the amazing level, my classroom library is a lot better than it used to be.  Not perfect by any means, but it now has books students want to read, filed in a way that ensures they can somewhat find them.  If I had my way my entire classroom would be a library but than is another post.

A question I often get is how do you know which boks to read?  How do you know which book to get for the classroom?  How will I ever start building my own amazing library.  So here are a few ideas:

  • Ask the kids!  Want to know what the kids are reading, ask them and then make a list somewhere.  I have mine on Amazion as a wishlist and whenever a giftcard pops into my hands, click, more books that the kids are reading.
  • Read the blogs!  Between the Nerdybookclub and so many of its authors I am constantly finding books to buy/read/pass on.  Others are out there reading and reviewing so start finding them.
  • Join #Titletalk – this monthly Twitter chat devoted to different aspects of reading always creates an abundance of must have books for me.  This is the most expensive Twitter talk you will ever participate in.
  • Ask your librarian.  My librarian, Deb Dagitz, knows a lot about books so I have no qualms asking her for recommendation.  In fact, she will also hand me books to read unsolicited which always turn out to be amazing.
  • Pay attention.  I am always asking students outside of my classroom what they are reading (annoying habit I am sure) and also paying attention to children reading in general.  A lot can be learned simply by looking at what is being read in the outside world.
  • Read yourself.  I love to read and I particularly love to read books for my classroom.  I often pick up new books on a whim and then they lead me to another book and another.  In fact to have a passionate reading classroom, you have to be a passionate reader yourself.
  • Ask other teachers.  I think we forget all of the amazing teachers at our own schools.  These teachers are also trying to build incredible libraries and may just have the book you have to have as well.  So start a conversation at lunch, staff meetings, or in the hallway.
  • Browse the book stores.  Whether local or a chain, get to know your book stores and their departments.  I love seeing what strangers recommend or what they are putting on display.
  • Read the lists.  Many websites do end of the year best books lists so be inspired by them.  I have already turned to the crowd-sourced one from Goodreads a few times, as well as the one determined by Amazon.
  • Watch the awards.  I didn’t get to watch the ALA’s with my students as planned so I cheered from my livingroom when Flora & Ulysses took home the Newbery.  Look back at past year’s winners and start to add them to your reading list, there is a reason these books are winning awards.

Where do you find your next read?

I am a passionate (female) 5th grade teacher in Wisconsin, USA, proud techy geek, and mass consumer of incredible books. Creator of the Global Read Aloud Project, Co-founder of EdCamp MadWI, and believer in all children. I have no awards or accolades except for the lightbulbs that go off in my students’ heads every day.  First book “Passionate Learners – Giving Our Classroom Back to Our Students Starting Today” will be released this March from Powerful Learning Press.   Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

This post was sponsored by Grammerly. “I use Grammarly’s Plagiarism Checker because even amazing students can sometimes run out of ideas.”

being me, Reading, reflection

What My Students Taught Me About Reading

Pernille Ripp
image from icanread

I used to think a child would love reading if I could just find the right book and place it in my library.

I used to think a child would love reading if I could just give them the time to read and the space to do it in.

I used to think a child would love reading if I was passionate about it and always shared what I was reading.

I used to think a  lot of things.

Now I know that we cannot just have the right books in our library but they must be placed into the hands of children.  Sometimes repeatedly.  Sometimes by more than one person.  Sometimes cleverly disguised with new covers or exciting book trailers.  And sometimes we must accept that our favorite book will never be a favorite book of a certain child and so we must place another, and another, and another into their hands.  Sometimes we must get them first to trust us to even open up their hands or hearts to us.  Sometimes a book does that for us.

Now I know that it is not just about giving children time or space to read but choice in how to read and what to read.  Even if that means that they hate the books we suggest, even if that means that they try on 10 books before settling, or 20, or 30.   Even if that means that they sit on their desk to read, or lie under a table, or hide behind the door, or fling themselves on the floor.  Reading does not have to happen at a desk, in a chair or sitting up.  It just has to happen.

Now I know it is not just about me being a passionate reader but also giving students time to share their passion.  It is about them finding their voice as readers and discovering the joy of having another child pick up a suggested book.  About having a conversation about a book with someone who loved it as much as you, cried as much as you, yelled as much as you.  I can share all I want but it is the students that need to discover their inner passion.  They must have time to talk about books.  They must have ways to share their favorites, their worst,  their “I can’t wait to reads!”  They must feel that their opinion matters, that their passion shapes our library.  They must feel that reading time is sacred and not just another chore.  They must know that reading matters and not just because the curriculum says so but because it shapes us as human beings.

I used to think reading was about going through books as fast as possible just so I could show how many I read.  Now I know it is about savoring every one, experiencing it, and letting it change me.  I try to give that moment to my students too.  They taught me to slow down, to give more reading time, to talk more about the books I read.  They taught me what it means to be a passionate reader by being passionate themselves, and for that I am forever grateful.