In the "Shared Ideas" section of my website I have a collection of
homework ideas sent in by several teachers, and there are many ideas
and suggestions there about reading at home. You might want to browse
through the page:
http://www.share2learn.com/homeworkandfamily.html
Renee
On Jul 18, 2011, at 5:41 AM, Beth wrote:
As an instructional coach, I have seen reading logs (or on-line
blogs) used in classrooms very successfully. All of the things
mentioned below are critical. I would also throw in that response
(either teacher:student, another adult:student or student:student) is
critical in using response logs. I've seen students asked to respond,
but whether or not they receive feedback is crucial to their continued
willingness to respond and motivation to put forth a strong effort.
It can make or break this practice. I remember in college being a
student who would put a lot of time and effort into carefully crafting
a response to a reading assignment, field experience, etc.. only to
receive a vague check mark at the top of my paper, indicating to me
only that the professor had noted that it had been turned in. I
remember feeling robbed and, of course, totally unmotivated to put
equal effort into the next assignment. I'm sure our young students
feel much the same way when this happens. I know most everyone
realizes this, but if reading logs aren't working well, this might be
something to look at. I agree . . . don't give up. It is incredibly
rewarding to develop this relationship with students through written
logs and allows us insight into how they're thinking about books.
-----Original Message-----
From: Palmer, Jennifer <[email protected]>
To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group
<[email protected]>
Sent: Mon, Jul 18, 2011 3:29 am
Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] reading logs
First... Do they have reading material available? Do you spend a
couple minutes
in book talks to build interest in a book then allow kids to take that
book
home? Do you allow kids a few minutes to do their own book talks? I'd
suggest
bringing technology in... Allow kids to post about their nightly
reading on a
wiki or create a book commercial podcast
Second... It may be time to build some urgency. Have they been taught
(not
told...my word choice is deliberate here) why time spent reading will
help them.
Third... I would allow reading materials other than books.
I teach a similar population.., not saying this is easy... Dont give
up. It's
too important.
Sent from my iPhone
On Jul 18, 2011, at 2:04 AM, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello,
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts about the use of reading
logs in my
sixth grade reading/writing workshop. My homework policy is that
students read
30 minutes 5 nights a week or 150 minutes a week. They are free to
read any book
they choose. I give students a reading log, due every Monday, that
asks them to
document the minutes they read nightly, I ask them to write about their
independent reading weekly, based on the strategies and or elements of
literature we were studying. I maintain a classroom library and
students have
access to the school library every 2 weeks. My problem is that my
homework
completion rate is TERRIBLE. Rather , I should say that fewer than 50%
of my
students regularly turn in their homework. Atwell, Miller, and many,
many other
language arts teachers consider reading at home an important part of
their
reading program. I am tempted to drop the the reading log
requiremnent, but I
don't want to "dumb down" my expectations for my students who
are predominantly blue collar and poor. I want students to have some
accountability, but at the same time I don't want to make the homework
process
so cumbersome that it turns my students off to reading independently.
What are
your experiences and insights that can help? Thank you.
Darlene Kellum
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"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that's given to us."
~ Gandalf ~ The Fellowship of the Ring ~ J.R.R. Tolkein
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