What to Do When A Student Forgets to Bring Their Book to Class

Whether I designate daily time for independent reading or not, I require my students to bring their independent reading book to class every day. I even do random five-point “book checks” where I just scan the room as everyone holds up their novel. Consistency is key, and over the years I’ve found that no student remembers to bring their book only on “Tuesday or Thursday.” Bringing their independent reading book to class is either a habit or it’s not. 

So, what do I do when a student forgets their book and we’re spending time reading that day?

First, here’s what I DON’T do. I don’t tell them to grab it from their locker. Classroom management is a key component of a successful independent reading routine. If I’m providing ten minutes of reading time and several students are spending five or more minutes at their locker (you know how that goes…), then they never have the opportunity to get engaged in their book and the whole time is a waste. I take this reading time very seriously, and because of that, so do my students. 

I also don’t tell them to just “grab a book off the shelf.” This sends the message that you can--and should--flip through a novel like a magazine. It sets students up for failure because they likely won’t take the time to choose a book they will enjoy (since they’re only reading it for ten to twenty minutes), and then they just become frustrated and bored. We want to build reading engagement, not tear it down. 

Lastly, I don’t tell them to just “work on something else.” Reading time is for reading. And I certainly don’t want to incentivize forgetting their book by offering homework catch up time. I also don’t want them to complete missing work or do anything else that may seem productive, but sends a message that independent reading is optional. If you want to get serious about creating a reading community, consistent time spent reading is essential, and everything you do in class has to make that abundantly clear. 

What I do is so simple that it might seem kind of silly. I keep things really streamlined in my classroom because it’s the only way our routines--and my sanity--stay functional. When a student forgets their book, I ask them to choose a Scope or Scholastic Magazine (I keep a bin of these in my room) and read that for the duration of independent reading time. This way, they are still getting reading practice and likely learning something interesting. Ten to twenty minutes is enough time to be engaged by a nonfiction article or two, so they actually concentrate. They are not, however, making progress in their independent reading book or their weekly page goal (which is a grade in my classroom). This simple strategy works so well because it keeps kids reading while also incentivizing them to bring their book next class so that they don’t have added reading homework that week. 

If you don’t have access to magazine subscriptions, alternatives could be printing and keeping a binder of short stories in sheet protectors that students can pull from. You might also print off several Newsela articles to keep on hand. This could be something you set up at the beginning of the year and have at the ready. 

Keep it simple so you can keep it going. That’s my motto!

Happy independent reading.

XO,

Kara