Heather McCraw: Blog Post #7: Routman Chapter 6: Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading

What an enlightening read this was! Throughout the process of reading the chapters in this book, I’ve learned a lot about reading instruction. My eyes have been opened to my failures as a reading teacher, and I feel like I have a new sense of direction when it comes to reading instruction.

As I read the chapter “Plan for and Monitor Independent Reading,” I was reminded of the importance of independent reading time. When Dr. Cox began holding literacy meetings in our district several years ago, the importance of independent reading was mentioned over and over. Something I had previously seen in my classroom as what we’ll do only if we have “extra time.” That’s because independent reading consisted of my students pulling out one of their library books while I had a few minutes to check emails. What I have learned in the last several years: Independent reading is NOT a break for teachers! It is not a chance for students to engage in books as teachers catch up on things that need to be done. In fact, it’s just the opposite! Teachers are very busy themselves during independent reading. Busy learning about their students strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, interests and passions. Teachers are conferencing with students, engaging in conversations about reading, and challenging students to keep progressing. Routman even suggested that perhaps a couple days per week, the teacher also engage in reading a book as the students read. In this way the teacher can model his or her own reading as the students learn what good readers do as they read.

Routman also mentions how students think in order to become better readers, they should read “hard books.” Routman suggests students need to read “just right books” for optimal growth. So then it becomes the teaachers job to be sure students understand how to select these just right books, and it’s not based on a level assigned to them from taking the STAR test.

Even through reading this chapter, I was thinking about how it was a “just right” read for me. Because it’s filled with the educational jargon that I understand and has a practical application in my career field, Routman’s book is a just-right read. Even though she’s a great writer, not everyone can enjoy her book. The same is true for our students. I have one student who is consistently struggling to get engrossed in a book. However, I have found him to do well with The Magic Treehouse. Since I realized that, I have encouraged him to keep reading that series. Although they’re not 4^th grade level books, these seem to be a “just-right” fit for him now…until he builds his stamina as a reader.