Ben's Bookshelf

Monday, March 12, 2012

The Book Whisperer

Donalyn Miller
211 p

Donalyn Miller's straightforward and easy to digest vision of a classroom reading program was encouraging and inspiring.  She believes that there is no student that she can not turn into a reader.  Her philosophy can be summed up in just a few words, provide appropriate books and let the students read what they want to read.  There...done. Why it took 211 pages to say that I'm not quite sure. I did not have to be convinced to embrace her philosophy.

In order to make her vision come to life the teacher must be a virtual two-legged wikipedia of children's literature.  Providing the students with engaging and appropriate books for each individual child takes a wide ranging classroom library and an indepth knowledge of the books found there.

I was an easy convert just waiting for someone to tell me it was ok to let go of reading groups.

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