The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

[callmekaro]

Donalyn Miller challenges teachers to do something simple, yet revolutionary in an era of teaching to the test. Let kids read books of their own choosing in class. There is no shortage of research that emphasizes the need for independent reading time in class, yet many teachers still depend on whole-class novels which are over-taught (see also Kelly Gallagher's Readicide) and which turn reading into a chore to be finished rather than a treat to be enjoyed.

In The Book Whisperer, Miller shares how she reflected on her own instruction, which she found lacking, and how her classroom evolved into a refuge where readers thrive. Her students also pass the end-of-grade standardized test without having had test taking skills shoved down their throats all year. With a hefty dose of common sense, Miller outlines some basic classroom practices which teachers can take and adapt to suit their own needs. As she states on page six, "Do what great teachers have always done: steal whatever ideas you can use." As an added bonus, there are student forms in the back of the book which Miller uses in her classroom.