Chloe Turner Blog 4-Share Your Reading Life: Regie Routman's Reading Essentials

I chose Routman's chapter because it correlated with Mills and O'Keefe's article, Collaborative Inquiry: From Kidwatching To Responsive Teaching, which I selected for my choice reading. Both text put an emphasis on introducing yourself as a reader. Routman describes herself as a reader and how she implements that into her role as a teacher. She says, "A great way to begin the year is to examine your own reading lift, make it visible to students, and connect world reading with school reading." I like this idea of providing my personal "reading" background to my students and having an open conversation, which Mills and O'Keefe say are important parts of responsive teaching.


Routman starts chapter 3 with a checklist of, "telling students why you read." I realized that I did not do this at the beginning of the year. I just told them that I love to read. I didn't provide much information about my reading habits and I still haven't, but I feel like it isn't too late. Routman writes, "As teachers we need to examine what we do as a reader and make our thinking and practices visible to our students." I think I should continually update my students on my reading habits, because just like theirs, it changes throughout the year.


I really like the idea of presenting my students information about what I'm reading and what I will read next. I think I can connect with students on a personal level if I pick up a book that they may be interested in reading. Routman says that students need to be provided information about the importance and pleasure of having a personal library. I love reading and collecting books. My students know how excited I get from building up our classroom library. Routman also recommends discussing favorite authors and books, which I try to do in their book conferences. I do think I should provide more time for book talks.


Routman continues the chapter on explaining how to talk about book clubs, book choice, and maintain a reading record. She says to show students how I read and demonstrate my pleasure in reading. I feel like I do more of these last few things in my classroom. We already implemented book clubs into the classroom. I have discussed the importance of book choice. I encourage my students to read what they find most interesting. If books are below their level during independent reading time, I know we will make up for it in required reading and unit text. I think students should read whatever they are going to connect with the most, no matter the reading level. I do want to lead an open conversation on reading. I think I can uncover more information about my students, as readers, in a open group discussion. I can take the information we discuss and plug in information about my own personal reading life. I think I can connect with students more if I read books that are on their personal reading levels. I will be able to carry one-on-one book talks and be able to illustrate to the student how I'm reading the same book as they are.