First, I want to begin by saying what an inspiration Donalyn Miller has been for me. Last year when I started at a new school, it seemed that most of the teachers in third through sixth grade had already read The Book Whisperer. You can tell by the climate of the classrooms and the enthusiasm of the students that reading is a huge priority. I am so glad that I read The Book Whisperer and have been able to join my colleagues in the pursuit of teaching kids to love reading.
“…the instructional edge goes to the teacher who sees reading as a gift, not as a goal.” {page 109}
“…it is not too late to develop a love of reading. ‘Fake it until you make it.'” {page 112}
“Share with your students what you enjoy about the books you read, what makes them hard for you, and what strategies you use to get through challenging reading material.” {page 117}
“Remember that you are the best reader in the room. Embrace that, and wear your reading love proudly in front of your students every day. The reality is that you cannot inspire others to do what you are not inspired to do yourself.” {page 118}
I constantly have a stack of books that I want to read, and I read during every free moment I have. This summer I am keeping two stacks: one with books I have read, and one of books I still want to read. I am having my daughter do the same. She loves seeing the size of her stacks change as she reads more books. Each time she adds a book to the stack of books she’s read, I see a little sparkle in her eye and a sense of pride in her smile. Here are pictures of both of our stacks:
