Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller

Yes, our new book club starts today!  Why should you blog with us?
  • It's fun & easy to blog- click comment, type in box & hit publish…that's it!
  •  Easy way to get inspired- no need to read the book to join the fun
  • Donalyn Miller is a Keynote Speaker at CRA’s PDI in Visalia Nov. 4-5
  • You can EASILY earn 1 semester unit to advance on your salary scale (ONLY $60 & you only need to do 3 comments)
  • You may comment anytime night or day from Feb. 1- August  31!!
  • Donalyn currently teaches (and ALL her kids read 40+ books a year) 
  • Allington writes,  "Miller's book is powerful and practical… you understand how to overcome current classroom culture where some children learn and many learn to hate reading." 
  • You’ll be better equipped to convince your parents to join your crusade to teach kids how to LOVE reading as we lucky people do!
  • CRA member Shannon Spencer, and winner of our book drawing, blogged, “I LOVED Donalyn’s Reading in the Wild book and have transformed my classroom because of it!”
  • You’ll bask as you validate what you’re already doing, yet further transform your classroom- Please join us!
  • Blog and be inspired to make reading fun again (and still have 85% of your kids in the 90th percentile)!
We will be talking about a chapter each month until the end of August. 
  •  In her intro., Donalyn explains her “whispers” as activities to promote talk about reading between her and her students.  Ah ha, wondered how she came up with her title!  What grabbed you in the intro.?
  •  In this month’s chapter, “There and Back Again,” Donalyn reminisces about childhood memories of reading.  My Mom told me I used to read to my sister with the book upside down.  Ha! What’s your fondest memory of early reading experiences?  Would love to hear them!
  •  Donalyn shared her early teaching disasters and how she arrived at a reading workshop format.  It made me feel like I was chatting with an old friend reading her words. How are you liking the book so far?
  • Loved her section “Going Forward, Sort Of.”  So true, eh?   Do you share her experiences and/or her epiphany that “as long as I hold on to my love of books & show my students what it means to live as a reader, I’ll be closer to teaching paradise?” 
  • Don't forge to click publish below your typed comment.    
Thanks for joining us,
      Lynn Gurnee,  Past CRA President

11 comments:

  1. Hey, come on bloggers…a penny for your thoughts!

    Thanks, Lynn

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    1. I think this book, along with Reading in the Wild (that our superintendent purchased for all of our teachers based on my love for the book and how it could change our thinking and teaching) can change how people think reading should be taught. I agree with Miller when she says that the best thing we can do for our students is truly share with them our love of reading and why reading is so important...not just for a short period of time in our class, but a lifelong love.

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    2. I wholeheartedly agree with making reading a lifelong love. The Daily 5 gave me the idea to put down the busy work and enjoy reading with my class. During my students independent reading time, I read too. This gave me a chance to model what it looks like to independently enjoy reading.

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  2. Hello Lynn,
    I am excited to jump into this book. I have been changing reading time in my classroom on implementing the Daily 5, and I cant wait to see what insights the Book Whisper will teach me.

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  3. I just got my book!!! Woohoo! Going to dive right in! I can't believe that I won this book. What a great thing. I've read and re-read Reading in the Wild and can hardly wait to read this one.

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  4. I just received my copy in the mail. I'm looking forward to learning more about "Awakening the Inner Reader". I flipped through the book and I like the Interest Survey. I would like to use this at the beginning of next school year.

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  5. I just read chapter 6 and I really like the idea of Book Commercials. I like the idea of it being student-lead. I will definitely try this next year. I also like the idea of the students recording the books that they want to read in their Reading Notebooks.

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  6. I like the practice of reading professional book reviews so students get use to the language. I plan to do this next year as well as chart key criteria found in reviews.

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  7. I just started reading The Book Whisperer and know my passion will be 'resparked' to promote reading. I like the idea of not emphasizing so much on all the testing. This makes for the love of reading to be replaced with anxiety and fear of not passing. The focus isn't on enjoying the book & story...it ends up on being more on what they need to know to get a question right.

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  8. You've inspired me to check out Reading in the Wild, Shannon. Agree that Daily 5 is also very inspiring, Elizabeth! Yay Debbie for using the Interest Survey to start off your school year. Let us know how it went? Debbie and Tamra have started their new year already in July…fast summer for you! Hope you got off to a fabulous start! Thanks for your comments, everyone!
    Lynn Gurnee

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  9. Donalyn begins her book in the introduction making it clear that she is "a teacher who inspires my students to read a lot..." as a way to show her credibility. In my opinion, this statement holds more weight than any credential or certification she could possibly hold. As a first grade reading coach, the most important factor in establishing relationships with the first grade teachers I work with is the fact that I had spent years teaching first grade and could therefore relate and empathize with their experiences. Furthermore, I have my successes (and failures!) to draw upon which I know teachers appreciate hearing. I agree with Donalyn when she states that we are always looking for how to inspire kids to do more reading but we often turn to the wrong places. To build lifelong learners, we must expose children to quality books that interest and engage them, promote a community of readers in a classroom and let students connect to books.

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