Reading Logs - Can I Inspire My Grade 8s to Use Them Effectively?

Hi, I'm Tracey. I'm a recovering readinglogaholic. I have tried every style, format, bribe... known to man, and 5 years ago I did it. I stepped away from the Reading Log. Too much frustration, too much lying (from the kids, not me) and not enough useful data. The amount of "fake reading" was directly proportional to the brain damage that I was suffering from their lack of usefulness.

I eat, breathe and sleep literacy. (And wine, but that's another post.) After I have finished a professional text about literacy, one of my former coworkers equated the look in my eyes to "Whitney on Crack". Let's do some math:

A literacy book+a good box of wine (Yes, there are some. And so accessible!) = Happy Tracey 

 

So even though I have been swimming in the deep end for many years, I couldn't find many strategies to help gather student data regarding the volume of reading as well as reading habits.

This summer, I went to Teachers College for the Summer Reading Institute and I feel like I have the gumption (yes, I said gumption), to try it again. Cornelius Minor and Mary Ehrenworth immersed my mind and heart with all of these fabulous strategies and suggestions. Picture in your heads, people -  five days of my "Whitney on Crack" look. So great...

Back to the trenches and I've been pouring it on pretty thick with my 8s. Some keeners in my class are busy putting together a presentation of all of the reading log apps available on Mac/Chrome/Windows/iOS/Android and any other format they can get their hands on to share with us. Some have decided to go "Old-School" and use a paper copy (or have gone shopping for a sassy notebook to use). I think some may be starting to catch on that I love reading.

The enthusiasm thus far is quite admirable, but then again it is only the 4th day of school.

I know I am not alone in my journey to the Land of ReadingLogGoddesses. I know what data I want to mine from them, and I can clearly see how the logs can help me move my students' reading forward. So I will try to post every week or two with my successes and failures and will tweet it as #readinglogdiaries. Any one else want to jump on the Reading Log Express with me? This is teaching year #25 and I think this is the one that will bring me that Reading Log sweetness!

Every day learnin' and laughin',
Tracey