It’s been five years since I stepped away from teaching, but everything that Donalyn Miller writes still deeply resonates with me. After reading her BOOK WHISPERER, I interviewed Donalyn, blasting her with way too many questions. She graciously answered every one. That interview became a series I ran in four parts. The posts continue to be some of the most popular on the blog.
Last week I finished Donalyn’s second book, READING IN THE WILD: THE BOOK WHISPERER’S KEYS TO CULTIVATING LIFELONG READING HABITS. It’s a look at how teachers can help their readers — even those enthusiastic ones — move from dependence to independence, how students can maintain an active love of reading well beyond the classroom. Donalyn developed a Wild Reader Survey to gauge “reading habits and preferences of adult readers.” Here’s what she found.
Wild Readers
- Dedicate time to read
- Self-select reading material
- Share books and reading with other readers
- Have reading plans
- Show preferences for genres, authors, and topics
READING IN THE WILD focuses on these five Wild Reader traits and how they can be used to foster a lifelong love of reading. Here’s a taste of what Donalyn believes:
“A reading workshop classroom provides a temporary scaffold, but eventually students must have self-efficacy and the tools they need to go it alone.” (p. xvii)
“Children who love reading and see themselves as readers are the most successful in school and have the greatest opportunities in life.” (p. xix)
“We believe that teaching our students to be wild readers is not only possible; it is our ethical responsibility as reading teachers and lifelong readers. Our students deserve it, society demands it, and our teaching hearts know that it matters.” (p. xxiv)
Over the next few days, I’ll share more about each Wild Reader trait and will invite you to share your thoughts and experiences either in the classroom or as a wild reader.
Looking forward to learning from each of you!
I made a special hand-out for the binders this year with a letter from me inviting my students to be Wild Readers. I think it is time to go back and read it again. We are in a slump. My truly wild readers cannot be stopped, but some need more cultivation. I love Donalyn Millers’ books and her philosophy.
Margaret Simon recently posted…Writing is Hard
Love this idea of cultivation. You must see so much long-term change, working with many of the same children year to year.
Caroline recently posted…READING IN THE WILD: 5 Things Wild Readers Do
Thank you, Caroline, for sharing Reading in the Wild with more people. I admire your enthusiasm and passion for wild readers. Teachers, librarians, and parents need engaging books for children if we want to engage them with reading. Your work certainly fits this need.
Thank you, Donalyn. As you say, every book has its reader, and I write with a special reader in mind — my younger self. I can only hope there are children out there who connect with the things that speak to me.
What pleasantly surprised me about READING IN THE WILD was how instructive I found it as a parent. My two readers tend to be avid re-readers at this stage. They are slow to try new things. My eighth grader, now moving on to YA, is doubly challenged, as he’s just not familiar with books in this range and often doesn’t want to try. I love the idea of sharing titles with the intent to show our kids how to select books on their own (and then do their own sharing). Right now, I’m filling the library basket, sometimes with the boys, sometimes on my own. I’m trying to talk up various authors and genres. We’ll see where things lead!
Caroline recently posted…READING IN THE WILD: 5 Things Wild Readers Do