Keeping a Reader's Notebook

This is a way for teachers to be constantly communicating with students about what is taking place during their silent reading time. It can be used as part of a Reader's workshop. Below are some suggestions from Donalyn Miller, author of The Book Whisperer, for how to utilize this tool.

(70 page spiral notebook)

Divided into several sections for the different reading activities...

• Tally List: If you require your students to read a certain number of books from each genre as part of a Reader's Workshop, this is a good way to help them keep track. Make some sort of document that can be copied and pasted into the notebook 

• Reading List: In this section, students can make a list of all the books they have read or started to read and didn't finish. Each entry should include the title, author, and a completion date. You could also have them write a short response about the difficult of the book. 

• Books to Read List: This is a great place for the students to keep track of the books that they'd like to read. Make suggestions to students and encourage the students to make suggestions to each other.

• Response Entries: This will be where the bulk of the writing in the notebook takes place. This should be reflective and include the student's feelings on the book and the author's writing. This is a great place for teacher responses. Write letters back to the students responding to their thoughts and questions. Push for deeper reflection when necessary. 

Teachers should keep some form of a notebook too. It is important that teachers model the behavior that they expect from students. Keep a list of all the books you've read the entire year and some of your responses to these books. Refer to your notebook during conferences with students. 

Miller, D. (2009). The book whisperer. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.