tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post8763302869059484733..comments2023-11-02T04:16:53.283-04:00Comments on Workshop Classroom: Reading logs for the summerWorkshop Classroomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15321642005485524249noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-55565461433752491902012-01-03T20:08:10.807-05:002012-01-03T20:08:10.807-05:00How's it going with reading logs this year now...How's it going with reading logs this year now that we are 1/2 way through? I just blogged about my change in perspective. My students are taking ownership over their reading with the changes I have made. <br /><br />Check it out at http://lifeloveliteracy.blogspot.com/2012/01/reading-life-tip-6-change-reading.htmltamaralynn @tarheelstateteacher.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15998253634392844445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-25756215053131043492011-08-23T21:20:59.534-04:002011-08-23T21:20:59.534-04:00I agree that making it optional is a big improveme...I agree that making it optional is a big improvement, though I still wonder whether it's better simply not to encourage them to quantify their reading. What <a href="http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/nonreaders.htm" rel="nofollow">Alfie Kohn says here</a> seems to make a lot of sense to me.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-78726041516503468862011-08-22T11:15:06.214-04:002011-08-22T11:15:06.214-04:00Workshop Classroom, I'll be checking back to y...Workshop Classroom, I'll be checking back to your blog as well.<br /><br />"Optional" is a beautiful word. I wish we heard it more often.<br /><br />It's frustrating for us parents. The pressure for "accountability" means that teachers are constantly trying to generate data. From the kids' point of view, this means constant paperwork for them! <br /><br />We parents watch our kids begin to hate school, hate learning, and hate reading. It's not what we want for our kids.FedUpMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951858601020687242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-9920582489634398102011-08-21T22:52:39.631-04:002011-08-21T22:52:39.631-04:00FedUpMom and Chris: Thanks so much for your input...FedUpMom and Chris: Thanks so much for your input. I fully understand the possible implications of forcing a student to keep a reading log. In this particular post, the reading log is an option, and in my humble experiences as an educator, students love and should be able to make choices for themselves. As teachers we need find what tools work with our population of students and make adjustments as necessary. There is no "one size fits all." On the flip side, teachers are also held accountable for student progress and must show evidence for it, which often means more paperwork. In the end, most teachers have the best intentions and work so hard to inspire and motivate their students. Again, thank you for your input, and I'll be sure to follow your blogs now as well.Workshop Classroomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15321642005485524249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-14652953383484682972011-08-21T13:19:43.028-04:002011-08-21T13:19:43.028-04:00If you make the kids read and report back to you a...If you make the kids read and report back to you about whether they've read, what other message can they hear but "Reading is a chore that we know you wouldn't choose to do on your own. So we force you to do it and police whether you have"?<br /><br />A kid's natural response is going to be, "If reading is so enjoyable, why are they so sure we don't want to do it?"<br /><br />Is forcing them to read twenty minutes every day really worth sending that message?Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07559356125770114400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-54352617611777867692011-08-21T12:16:01.978-04:002011-08-21T12:16:01.978-04:00Folks, there's a reason "I Hate Reading L...Folks, there's a reason "I Hate Reading Logs" is the most active thread ever at StopHomework. Reading logs have a completely negative effect. Kids who used to like reading will come to hate it after they're forced to keep a log.<br /><br />As for analyzing stamina, reading isn't a sport. This sounds like one more way to alienate kids from reading.<br /><br />Reading is a pleasure. Give kids books they're interested in and let them have at it. The more you poke and prod, make them accountable, analyze how many minutes they can read at a sitting, the more you drive them away from reading.FedUpMomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00951858601020687242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-17961032766288957502011-08-10T23:25:18.550-04:002011-08-10T23:25:18.550-04:00I am so grateful for all your input! This is such...I am so grateful for all your input! This is such a rich and engaging discussion.Workshop Classroomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15321642005485524249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-67160665113436887092011-07-24T23:04:42.457-04:002011-07-24T23:04:42.457-04:00This post has really made me pause and think about...This post has really made me pause and think about my stance on reading logs -- especially because I just spent time creating a new one for next year. However, I was guided in creating my logs for this upcoming year by the work of Lucy Calkins Reading Units of Study and the ways in which she has students use the reading logs to get to know themselves and others as readers. Check out the post on this blog for another perspective on this as well. http://literacybytes.com/?tag=lucy-calkinshrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07813857968187691340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-38144477408634074212011-07-02T07:40:33.712-04:002011-07-02T07:40:33.712-04:00I researched reading logs for different reasons, a...I researched reading logs for different reasons, and was also surprised at the 'Stop Homework' movement! I couldn't imagine evenings without homework in our household, and while I do not believe the kids should have HOURS of it, I support after-school work 100%.<br />Regarding reading logs, you may be interested in looking at a new website called <a href="http://www.reading-rewards.com" rel="nofollow">Reading Rewards</a>, which allows you to do <a href="http://www.reading-rewards.com/reading-log.htm" rel="nofollow">reading logs</a> online. Create a group and accounts for your students, and have them log their reading entries online! These are then available for all kids in the group to view, and you can share book reviews and recommendations. There are all sorts of incentives for the kids, including just being 'Top Reader' in the group, as well as weekly 'Reading Races', where the more kids read, the better their chances of winning! You can also set up your own rewards for kids if they reach certain targets. Parental validation for reading is possible, but not mandatory. It's a great site that is starting to be used by more and more teachers. It's a nice alternative to traditional reading logs that some kids and parents might be need.<br />Best regards,<br />MichelleMichelle Skamenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06293329473156240105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-80080051613636944492011-06-28T18:07:23.608-04:002011-06-28T18:07:23.608-04:00We too have discussed this in our grade level. We ...We too have discussed this in our grade level. We are not near comfortable enough to get rid of the reading logs, but are aiming this year to make them more purposeful. Are these students coming back to you next year? What if students were well aware of the purposes of the reading log (and the purpose does not have to be "So that I know you are reading.") A few quick purposes for the summer reading log (hopefully just a list of books the student read/started/was interested in/etc), could be to share books you loved with your classmates when you return, to keep up with what authors you really liked so that you can seek out more books like that. <br /><br />Ideas for during the school year that we have decided to focus on next year include: <br />-analyzing stamina (how long can I read, how many pages can I read in 10 minutes, is this increasing across the year)<br />-am I able to read more in a 20 minute sitting at home or school? Why is that so? What can I do to make school/home reading more similar so that I can do my best reading? <br /><br />One idea our PLC came up with was to stop telling students how long they have to read each night. For me, 5 nights a week for 20 minutes is required. But, we discussed how if every student is writing 20 minutes because they know they are supposed to, they are probably not always being honest. What if there were no time requirement? (Although I would still have the 5 nights a week requirement, 15 minutes would not be good enough as I want them to aim for 30 minutes most nights...And, I plan to talk to students about reading research and how much reading it takes to improve as a reader to get them invested in why they are doing the independent reading at home. <br /><br />With all this in mind, it means that reading logs have to become a part of my daily classroom conversations, and not just to check that they were filled out. It also means that I will spend minilessons teaching students who to analyze their reading growth and set goals.<br /><br />Maybe explicit purpose and utilizing them more often and more continuously as a tool is an answer? <br />http://lifeloveliteracy.blogspot.com/tamaralynn @tarheelstateteacher.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15998253634392844445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-65272569958185690702011-06-25T10:54:12.039-04:002011-06-25T10:54:12.039-04:00Ashleigh...I completely agree, it's hard to fi...Ashleigh...I completely agree, it's hard to find the balance, and some students require some gentle nudges. Jennifer, you're totally right...it works for some, it might not work for others. When I gave my students their summer goody bags, I told them that the reading log DOES NOT require a parent signature and it's optional, and they were so excited! Each one chose the design that he/she wanted, and a couple said that they'll visit me in September to show me that they completed it. I'll be so excited to post about it on my blog if that actually happens!!Workshop Classroomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15321642005485524249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-77452069177072380442011-06-25T10:06:45.242-04:002011-06-25T10:06:45.242-04:00My own sons were asked to complete reading calenda...My own sons were asked to complete reading calendars to measure their reading away from school. For 2 of the 4, it was a great motivator--each month they wanted to read more than the month before! For my other two, it became just one more thing for us to fight about. So...we didn't. If they didn't want to fill them out, we didn't fuss much about it.<br /><br />With that in mind, when I send home reading calendars with my children, I make them COMPLETLEY OPTIONAL. I tell parents that they can do with them what they want. I have some students who complete and return it each month, but I also have some of my best readers who never return it. Oh well. We know that what works for one doesn't work for all. :)<br /><br />Jennifer<br />http://3rdgradelearners.blogspot.comJennifer Gibsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11864707311390588323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4246239760055931657.post-31804327072160674212011-06-23T22:27:59.525-04:002011-06-23T22:27:59.525-04:00Wow, have you read the comments under the first li...Wow, have you read the comments under the first link? They kind of depressed me. I do get their point (not necessarily their anger toward teachers), but when you have struggling readers they need to be reading at home too, and you can't just assume that they'll read because they want to. I wish they would, but they don't. It's hard to find the balance.Ashleighhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08564789501297137958noreply@blogger.com