Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp, two veteran educators, establish tried and true methods teachers can use to encourage independent reading, book accessibility, and more in their new Scholastic Professional title, The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library.
While many educators know that classroom libraries are an integral part of a student’s reading journey, the authors provide resourceful tips to help match kids to relevant books and show teachers how to keep a collection evergreen.
This title not only provides wisdom and practical advice, it also accounts for adaptability; many of the ideas outlined in the book stem from hard-won experience gathered during the pandemic. Through each chapter, Donalyn and Colby demonstrate that despite instructional changes, teachers can maintain routine, expertise, and intentional reading practices.
While reading through the experience of refining Colby’s classroom library, readers can uncover several truths and helpful points, such as:
- How to develop a book-rich environment using an appropriate and relevant decision-making process
- How to match kids with engaging materials and foster increased independent reading with consistent instructional methods
- How to leverage a classroom library to meet each student’s needs and reading levels through organization, quantity, and diversity
“With this book, consider us your colleagues down the hall. We share our processes for evaluating the library, the resources we use, and the practical strategies we have developed over the years for managing a collection and using the books to engage readers,” say the authors. “The two of us hope this book provides you with tools to look at your classroom library through a different lens, curate it with students in mind, and tap its full potential throughout the school year.”
To keep up with news about The Commonsense Guide to Your Classroom Library, follow the authors, @colbysharp and @donalynbooks on Twitter, and check out @ScholasticED for all things professional!
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Donalyn Miller: A leading expert on independent reading and children’s literature, Donalyn is the author of three bestsellers: The Book Whisperer, Reading in the Wild, and Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids, coauthored with Colby Sharp. She is the founder of the annual #bookaday event, cofounder of The Nerdy Book Club with Colby Sharp, and cohost of the monthly Twitter chat #titletalk.
Colby Sharp: A fifth-grade teacher at Parma Elementary School in Parma, Michigan, Colby is a cofounder of Nerd Camp and The Nerdy Book Club and coauthor of Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids with Donalyn Miller. He cohosts the monthly Twitter chats #sharpschu with John Schu and #titletalk with Donalyn Miller, as well as The Yarn podcast with Travis Jonker.
