Reading Logs as Artifacts of a Reading Life

CC image by Skokie Public Library

September is just about over, meaning that September Reading Logs are about to roll in. Since they were handed out early in the second week of school (the last week of August), students have been to the library to get started on their home reading life, reflected on themselves as readers, made reading goals, and jumped into a unit on reading response and interpretation. They were given the instructions: Read your home book 5 days a week for 20 minutes each time (minimum) and record your reading on your Reading Log (date, title, time started/time ended/total time, page started/page ended/total pages, comment).

I am very much looking forward to seeing these September Reading Logs. They are rich with information about my students, and are filled with areas for reflecting:

1. What books are they reading? This can give me a clue into the types of books students enjoy, making it easier for me to suggest next books.
2. What level of books are they reading? I'd like to record the title of the book each student is reading, and find that book's Lexile and guided reading level (if available). Then I can determine if they are reading above, below, or at "target" (right now, I'm using the lowest Lexile score in the range determined by the fall MAP Reading test). Again, this helps me understand the students' tastes and comfort level, and gives me an insight into what would be a good next book for them.
3. When are they reading? While thinking about ourselves as readers, we read an article from the Atlantic Wire called "What Kind of Book Reader Are You? A Diagnostic Guide" (I edited it down to the most appropriate ones before handing it out). One of the categories is The Sleepy-Time Reader. Not surprisingly, many of my students are Sleepy-Time Readers, reserving their reading for post-homework, post-video game or social networking time, often the last thing to do before falling asleep. We talked a bit about how that could affect their rate, productivity, and comprehension. Some students decided to make it their reading goal to read at other times of the day as a way to grow as a reader. However, I will not be surprised to see "10:30-10:45" or later on some Reading Logs. 
4. How fast are they reading? According to the Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project Reading Institute, students should be reading about a page a minute at this age. If they aren't reading that quickly, it could indicate several things: 1) the book is too hard for them-- students could be looking up words or having to reread because they lose comprehension, 2) they are reading at the wrong time of day-- see Sleepy-Time Reader above-- or with too many distractions around, 3) they are just not very interested in the book, or 4) they are not reading enough of the book at one time to get into the story, and therefore need to re-read to pick up the thread before going on. This is a good conversation to have with students when they are reading slowly. Depending on the reason, there is usually a fairly straightforward solution.
5. Are they reading? For some, this is the bottom line question. Unfortunately, some students don't meet the 100 minutes per week minimum. Sometimes it's because they are busy with sports teams or other extracurriculars, leaving little time for homework. Sometimes they have too much other homework, and push reading to the side as a lower priority. Sometimes they just don't like reading. Whatever the reason, this becomes yet another problem-solving conversation to have, first with the student, and if the trend continues, then with the parents.

When students also do this kind of reflecting on their Reading Log, they can see that the log itself helps them to track their reading life and, especially, their reading goal. They might find that they have already reached their reading goal, and there is something else indicated on the Reading Log that needs to be worked out. They might find that they haven't made much (or any) progress toward their reading goal, and they need to keep the goal in mind as they continue their reading next month. If they reflect on their reading habits every month, the Reading Log stays fresh as a data collection tool with a purpose, rather than another piece of homework drudgery. They will be more honest about their reading lives, and it puts the responsibility for growing as a reader right where it needs to be: in the students' own hands.