Atomic Reading Habits: Part III
I’m currently into week two of the school year. Kids are excited but also totally overwhelmed by the newness of seventh grade, so this post could not come at a better time! Today, I am sharing how I make building a reading habit for your students easy. If you are just tuning in, hop on over to this post to learn how reading James Clear’s novel, Atomic Habits, not only changed my life, but also changed the way I think about independent reading in my classroom. Let’s dive in!
Make It Easy.
Research shows that the easier we make an action for ourselves, the more likely we are to create a habit of doing it! For example, I used to store my blender on a really high shelf in one of my cabinets. I really wanted to start making smoothies for breakfast, but every time I stared at my heavy-as-heck blender wayyy up there, I thought, Eh, I’ll make one tomorrow when I have time to get the stepstool.… Fast-forward about two months into the summer, and I hadn’t made one dang smoothie!
But then, James Clear entered my life, and now, my blender resides in a cabinet that I can reach and is right next to an outlet! Smoothies have been happening! Helping our students build a reading habit requires the same kind of thinking. I asked myself, How can I make reading even easier in my classroom? How can I remove all excuses for kids? I’m still learning and growing, but the following small steps I’ve taken in my classroom have done wonders for my kiddos!
Tip #1
Make book checkout simple. There are many systems for classroom libraries, but over the years, my favorite is a simple clipboard and really easy checkout sheet. I allow students to check out books at any time of the day, and the clipboard pictured below simply asks for a student’s name and book title! All they do when they return the book is place a checkmark next to their entry. It’s simple, and it works! Just be sure to attach a pencil to the clipboard (I use some yarn) so that there is never even a minute wasted while students go wandering back to their desk to find a writing utensil. We, of course, all know how that can go…
Tip #2
Have a simple and clear organization system in your library. Whether you organize by genre, alphabet, or category bins, make sure it’s neat and, above all, make sure students understand the system. If students are confused by the layout of the library, they will be less likely to find books they love! They may even be deterred from trying. I, personally, organize the majority of my books alphabetically by author’s last name because I want to simulate the system used in most public libraries. However, I do group some titles in a few category/genre bins, and I rotate displays of about five great titles every couple of weeks. Regardless of your system, it should be easy for students to peruse and grab books off your shelf.
Tip #3
Beyond a simple organization system, I implement a few strategies to make it very easy for kids to find books they LOVE. It is so heartbreaking to watch a student abandon not-right book after not-right book. Sometimes, students need help in choosing a title that will work for them! That is why I talk weekly about books I’ve loved. It’s also why I’ve implemented a new book flag system, where students can easily recommend books to each other! As pictured below, students can fill out one of the book flags after they’ve finished a fabulous read. The flag is designed to stick out of the top of the book so that it alerts my kiddos to a great story that a fellow classmate has enjoyed!
Tip #4
Ensure that the actual reading in your classroom is simple. By that, I mean that students should not be required to complete book summaries, logs, or other time-consuming accountability checks while they try to build a reading habit. I have found wonderful success with my simple page-goal system, described in more detail in this post. It requires nothing but reading on the part of students but still holds them accountable for building a reading habit. Give it a try, and tell me what you think!
That wraps up making reading easy!
Stay tuned for the last week of this series, which will continue to give you easy, practical, and actionable tips to help your middle school students build a reading habit, find books they love, and enjoy the process!