Reading – Page 52 – Pernille Ripp

Reading Is Bigger Than Us

February 20, 2014 Pernille Ripp

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?

February 11, 2014February 16, 2014 Pernille Ripp

“…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.

Reading, reflection

Where to Find Your Next Great Read – Some Ideas

January 30, 2014April 4, 2014 Pernille Ripp

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

December 3, 2013 Pernille Ripp

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.

Reading

How to Get Boys Reading Perhaps

November 6, 2013November 7, 2013 Pernille Ripp

I never used to worry about boys not reading. After all, wasn’t that to be expected? My husband isn’t a big reader and he seems to manage. Yet, when I realized that I needed to bring the passion back into reading last year in my room, I started to notice my boys. Those same boys that I had recommended Lightning Thief and Harry Potter to even though they had already read them. Those boys I had bought Mike Lupica books for because they had to do with sports. Those boys with their boyish books who I didn’t really push to become passionate readers because I wasn’t quite sure how to do it. Those boys became my unintended passion.

Today I was asked how I get my boys reading, and while I am not an expert, and some of them still don’t read as much I would love them to, I do have a few ideas. (And yes, many of these apply to the girls as well).

Acknowledge the difference. And not necessarily the difference between boy and girl readers, but the difference between all readers. We all have our strengths and we all have our reading demons. Acknowledge them and figure out how to work through them or with them.
Share your own demons. I tell the kids how fickle I am with book choices, how my time has to be devoted to just the right book. I tell them what I love to read and what I am likely to pass up. I also make sure to tell them when I have been surprised by a book.
Have honest conversations. One boy told me “Reading sucks!” and it led to a very meaningful lesson that we have carried with us all year. Be prepared to be honest, be prepared to not judge, let boys speak their opinions and then work with it rather than be the know-it-all expert. Just be your human self and start the relationship early.
Read their books. While I am not quick to grab a sports book, some do catch my eye (Stupid Fast was after all one of the Global Read Aloud choices this year because of me). I am lucky though that I tend to lean toward 5th grade boy book choices naturally. Science fiction and fantasy – bring it on!
Recommend, recommend, recommend. I read a lot because I need to be able to recommend books to all of my students. But the boys, those I have to hand the book too, stick it in their book bin, tell them why and then encourage them to try it.
Loosen up. We don’t need to read chapter books all the time. I have been expanding my graphic novel, non-fiction, and comic book selection the last few years. Have all sorts of books ready for your boys and let them know it is ok to read them. Too often we push the chapter book because we think it is one of the only ways to grow as readers, this is simply not true.
Let them choose. Sure we can guide and point out but in the end, let them choose!
Let them read wherever they want. I hate reading in a chair, I am more of a lay down kind of person. My students may all read wherever they want as they don’t bug someone else. Few of my boys sit at their table and I am ok with that.
Give them different ways to share their thinking. Some of my boys can draw like madmen, some of them do best on conversation and some of them prefer to just speak to me about what they are reading. That’s ok, to each their own, I make sure they have many different outlets to talk about their reading.
Think about your read aloud. I am just finishing “Out of My Mind” by Sharon Draper as my first read aloud and so my next one will be something completely different, “The False Prince” by Jennifer Nielsen. Too often, if we are female teachers, do we grab read alouds featuring female leads. It is important we showcase all types of lead characters of both sexes.
Geek out with them. I get super nerdy whenever a new book in a favorite series is about to get released. Yesterday was awesome when the 8th Diary of a Wimpy Kid book was released and we made sure to celebrate it. We often take reading so serious that we become our own worst enemies. Have fun with it, it is after all sharing the love of books. If we can’t laugh about it all, who can?
Add a challenge if needed. The students are all participating in the 40 book challenge to see if they can read 40 books faster than I can. (One of my students already did!) but we also have a January book challenge where they set individual goals and we combine them as a class goal and then have a huge celebration at the end. The competitive nature of many of my students feeds right into this without it being about beating someone else.

A note on competition since this has sparked some debate: It is not competition in my room in the true sense of it. There is no prize, there is no punishment. It is about having students have a goal in how many books they should read, here it is explained to parents, and the hope that they will push themselves as readers when we create a sense of urgency. They are not out to beat each other, no one knows how many books someone else has read unless they share it. The class challenge is a goal set by all of us, students set individual goals and we add them up. This can be for any type of reading and we keep track as a class. It is a way to create community around reading, to give it importance, and for some boys a challenge means it is important.

What else would you add? How else do we reach our male readers?

For more explanations or further ideas of how to promote reading in your classroom, here is an older blog post.

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 fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.

Reading, Student-centered

There’s A Sheet for That – Readers Workshop Sheets to Help You

October 10, 2013October 25, 2013 Pernille Ripp

Being in a more formal reader’s workshop format this year has meant that I have needed a better method of keeping track of all of the one-on-one and small group conferences I am having constantly. So as always, I thought why not share what I have created with the world. Mind you that I tweak these as I use them so if you really love a form you may want to keep a copy of it before I change it.

We do a modified 40 book challenge for the year. Here is the sheet explaining the rules and also keep track of their books.

How Am I as a Reader. I started out the year by asking students how they were as readers, these were the base for our first conference.

Reading Parent Survey (borrowed from Colby Sharp). A few weeks into school i ask the students to fill this out with their parents.

Calendar of one-on-one conferences: This idea is adapted from the The 2 Sisters, I also have a pensive where I keep all of this. Now I can see at a glance who I have met with. by putting the conference date in the small check boxes.

One-on-one student conference sheet. I needed somewhere to keep all of my thoughts and this is what has helped me.

Reading Log. I have been asked for students to keep a reading log so this is our modified, in room use only, reading log that the students fill out every day after they have read independently.

Small Group Conference Calendar sheet. I pull a lot of small groups to quick hit on skills with them but I needed a separate way to keep track of when I did it. This sheet is helping me keep track of them.

Small Group Conference Sheet. This is a conference sheet specifically for a child in a small group setting, I needed the distinction between one-on-one and small group so I created this.

Monthly Reading Reflection Sheet. I have students do shorter weekly reflections about their progress and goal but at the end of the month I have them do a longer reflection more centered on reading. Here is September’s.

I hope this useful to you, I know it is helping me stay sane and on top of all of my diverse readers and their passion.

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 fall from PLPress. Follow me on Twitter @PernilleRipp.