Reading Challenge : Fostering Reading in an Upper Elementary Classroom

As an upper elementary classroom teacher, I have tried many programs in order to encourage my students to read. In my early days of teaching, my students were required to record what they read and how long they read for on a daily basis. As you can guess, my students were not engaged and the students that were successful, were the ones with consistent support at home. I was always very focused on the amount that my students were reading rather than inspiring my students to love reading. Three years ago, I read the book The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller (2009). This book transformed how I teach reading in my classroom.

Questions to consider:  

• How can we motivate our students to want to read? 
• How can we encourage our students to read a variety of genres? 
• How can we instil a love for reading? 
• How can we create a culture of readers in our classroom or school? 
• How can we encourage students to share what they have read in a meaningful and engaging way? 

The Book Whisperer

I have worked hard to find a reading program that I believe is motivating and inspiring for my students. Donalyn Miller is a sixth grade teacher that claims she has not met a student that she cannot turn into a reader. In her book, The Book Whisperer, she shares practical advice on how to give students choice and independence over their reading. Miller sets high standards and invites her students to read over 40 books across different genres per year. In this book, Miller shares many personal experiences from her career and offers excellent resources such as the "Ultimate Library List". This list includes over 100 books that every teacher (grades 5-8) should have in their classroom library (Miller, 2009, p.194). In my opinion, this book is a must read for elementary school teachers and teacher-librarians. Miller's writing feels like having a conversation with an old friend. It reads more like a novel than a professional development resource. Miller's love of reading is infectious and inspiring. 

In this video, Miller explains why she uses the "40 Book Challenge" in her classroom.

Here is the link to the book on Amazon: The Book Whisperer. Miller also writes about the core beliefs of her "40 Book Challenge" in her blog: The Book Whisperer Blog

The Reading Challenge 

Inspired by Miller's book, I have started a reading program that I believe has promoted a love of reading in our classroom. The Reading Challenge is an invitation for students to explore a variety of genres and to set a personal reading goal for the year. When I started the challenge, I followed Miller's 40 book guideline.  For many students, this number was daunting and they immediately saw the challenge as unattainable. This year, I had my students take personal responsibility and set their own reading goal. Once the students saw that they could reach their predetermined goal, they gained confidence and continued to set higher goals. 

Students are expected to record the number of books that they read throughout the year. But, each book read is a reason for success and celebration. Students meet with me on a regular basis to discuss the books that they have read. There is also a time during our week when students recommend books to their peers. During my first year of trying the challenge, I had student complete an activity from a choice board after each book that they finished. Although the activities were "fun", my students were discouraged as these activities became more of a task and took away from simply enjoying the book. This year, my students were expected to write down what they read and be prepared to discuss the book with me during a reading conference. 

Blogger/influencer Jill Shafer of Hello Fifth explains how she uses the 40 Book Challenge in her blog here: 40 Book Challenge

I have attached the handout that I created for my classroom use. Please feel free to use it if you think that it may work for your classroom! 

Hoodless Reading Challenge

The Reading Challenge fosters reading in our classroom for several reasons. 

1) Encourages students to read on a regular basis. 

2) Encourages students to read a variety of genres.

3) Students are motivated by their personal reading goal. 

4) Books read are celebrated by myself, peers and families. 

I believe that the Reading Challenge could be a program used by Teacher-Librarians to promote a reading culture in schools. TL's could spend time exposing students to various genres and encouraging students to set a personal reading goal for the year. No matter what program a teacher or school use to promote reading, the important factor in encouraging a love of reading is to love reading yourself. Students must see us reading. They must hear us talking about books and sharing the books we have loved. Miller says, "If we want our students to read and enjoy it for the rest of their lives, then we must show them what a reading life looks like." (p.110)

References:

Donalyn Miller. (2014, August 12). The 40 Book Challenge Revisited. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://bookwhisperer.com/2014/08/12/the-40-book-challenge-revisited/ 

Hello Fifth. (2020, May 11). 40 Book Challenge. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from https://hellofifth.com/2020/05/40-book-challenge.html

Miller, Donalyn. The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2009

Reading Rockets. (2015, August 15). The 40 Book Challenge. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnXK81q6MWE&list=PLLxDwKxHx1yJwuN-rtn9tQyM0YQ4vJYxV&index=13