Chapter 5: Organizing an Outstanding Classroom Library
I was
able to fully connect with this chapter in Routman’s book. Last year, my
classroom library was unacceptable (to my standards). But, being that it was my
first year, and I had no funds or hand me down books, I worked with what I had.
I organized my very few books into lexile levels and by AR points. This year,
with the help of some fine folks, I have been able to GREATLY increase the
books in my classroom library and was able to lexile ALL of them. I think it is
very important to expand home reading as well as light reading. After reading
this chapter, I was able to come up with some ideas on how to have students
understand and value light reading. I have some science magazines in my
classroom that I usually only pull out for resources, but I have decided to
pull these magazines out and make them available for reading on a daily basis.
The students can enjoy the magazines just as they would a book, while
integrating science.
Another
thing I have done (as the chapter suggested) is to arrange the books by series.
Students tend to enjoy reading the series and even ask me if/when I will get
more books in that series. I agree that students will be more likely to read
and comprehend when they are able to sit down and find something they can like.
I think
it is very important to do a reading inventory to find out what your students
like to read. I also think it is important to have a classroom environment that
is conducive to reading. I love the ideas that the author gives for increasing
your classroom library and plan to create a top ten book list.
Overall,
this chapter got me excited again about the books in my classroom and how to
utilize them.
I felt the same way about my classroom library. My first year I had tons of books, but only one old, ugly bookshelf. I had 2 wash tub baskets and didn't have a clue how to organize any of it. The next year I drug that bookshelf outside, took 3 cans of sunshine yellow spray paint to it, and filled it will dollar tree baskets. It took a couple of tries with decoration arrangement and one major lice breakout before I tossed all the fabric pillows and went for little floor chairs! You live and learn!I am so proud at all the labeling you have done! There are never enough copies of wimpy kids or magic tree house. You may want to explore some series like; Hank Zipzer books, Little House on the Prairie, or The Lightening Thief.
ReplyDeleteHi Anna,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing with us your journey with creating and organizing and now expanding your classroom library. While I know having each of your books leveled according to lexile can be very helpful for you to know in order to help pull books for guided reading and to help suggest texts for our students, having them organized by topics of interests, by author and series, and by genre can make them easily accessible to our students so they can make good choices as well. I really like the idea of putting your science magazines in your classroom library so students can choose those as well. Thank you! Dawn