Blog Post #5 Trina Lancaster Routman: Ch 5 Organize an Outstanding Classroom Library

          I wrote a Donors Choose grant that was funded right before Christmas. All month long I have been receiving books supplied through Amazon. It has been a delight to open each and every package! The students have been so excited to see the books as well. You see, these are the books they asked for. They wanted books about Peppa Pig, Daniel Tiger, Pete the Cat, Barbie, Thomas the Train, Hello Kitty and many more of their “friends” as they call the characters. Routman says, “If students are to choose to read and develop positive attitudes about reading, they must have access to engaging reading materials.” After seeing these students look at the books that were previously in my classroom library and watching them, now I really believe this is true. They are excited about getting their favorite books and even ask can they get them when we are doing other activities.

          Routman also stated that, “Classroom libraries are a literacy necessity; they are integral to successful teaching and learning and must become a top priority if our students are to become thriving, engaged readers.” I always knew that it was important to have books available for our students and that they needed to be something they were interested in reading but I never thought to purchase the books that Routman called “light reading” books. The books that the students want to read to get them hooked on books. For the most part the books in my classroom library are what I call “school books”, Routman called them “higher brow” stuff! Some books are award winners, books by well-known children writers or Scholastic. All are great books, and the kids like them when I read them, but seeing them with the books they asked for and loving them is a whole new experience for me! It makes my heart warm watching them!

          So far the books are in a tub, but after reading this selection I will get the students to help me organize them in a way that will be meaningful to them and see how it works out. Having a library for myself and one for the students gives me a little bit of a relief. Now I don’t have to worry about them tearing up my books because they don’t care about them, they love their books and are trying really hard to take great care with them. It really is amazing!