Kittle Ch.

5:
The Power of Book Talks
Not reading is not an option (Kittle 59)
In chapter 5, Kittle stresses the importance of reading by going above and beyond through the
use of book talks, establishing a classroom community, and working towards goals on to-do read lists.
Book talks: Discussing literature (upwards of 4 or 5 books a day during the first few weeks of school) that
may appeal to students. Exposing titles, excerpts, and concepts of these books in hopes that students
will find one that suits them and pursue it.
To-Read Lists: Strategy Kittle uses; requires students to keep a to-read list in the back of their notebook
to help monitor which books appeal to them and if they are making progress in their reading.
Double up when you can: the example Kittle uses is
during a narrative unit, she incorporates Winters
Book Talk Essentials (From Kittle 60)
Bones by Daniel Woodrell to discuss and analyze
Hold the book. Size reference is good!
but she chooses a passage she hopes will appeal to
Know the Book. Summarize the theme,
students and follows the book talk guide when
central conflict, or other details; create a
presenting it!
taste test for your students.
Noticings: annotations of word choice, details of
Read a short passage. Allow the students to
senses (what you feel, smell, see, taste, know), as
get a feel for the narrators voice. Select the
well as important/appealing words and phrases
passage ahead of time, find a passage that
has a strong-voiced section, read slowly with Building community: Communication is key to
emphasis and clarity. building a community and establishing authenticity.
Keep Records. Create a classroom Book Talks Upon encountering enthusiasm and an eagerness to
chart, copy effective passages down. write, Kittle states, I ignored the clock, the list of
Accept help. Talk to colleagues for items on my agenda. I noticed the pens poised
suggestions, use YouTube for author above notebooks. We wrote (Kittle 71).
interviews.
Remember how important you are. Your
passion is contagious (Kittle Reading During Class Time? (Kittle 68)
61); your influence is great, but release
responsibility onto the students. 1. Allows you to see the students
engagement with their texts
2. Creates a time to confer one-on-one with
students
Youll think youve finally met that kid 3. Allows students to practice the skill of
that will never be a reader. Youll feel like reading
youve done all you can. You might even We give students time to work on projects.
listen to a colleague who says some kids We give them time to watch two-hour videos
just dont like reading. Dont listen; dont of the books we teach. We give them time to
you believe it. Reading is oxygen for a sit and listen to other students discuss a book
students future success. they didnt read the night before. We consider
(Kittle 63)
those valid uses of time, but not reading. Why
not? (Kittle 68)

Kittle, Penny. Book Love. Heinemann, 2013.

 Kittle Ch. 6:
Conferences
Fixed-performance view: Students see themselves as living in a world of permanent traits and abilities,
believing that individuals have fixed characteristics mistakes and failures act as indicators of what one
is inherently good or bad at, i.e. math, poetry, etc. This viewpoint is very damaging to a students
efforts in a classroom and concept of themselves.
Dynamic-learning view: Students see intelligence and ability as something that may fluctuate with
situations but can develop and grow through learning.
Language of conferences: The language a teacher implements to move students out of the fixed-
performance view and into the dynamic. Kittle states, A student says, for example, Im not a reader. I
say, Oh, I expect you just havent found the right book yet. This is the intentional language of
conferences. (Kittle 77)

Im afraid that using empowering language with readers might be easily dismissed these
days, when Important Standards occupy all the energy in the room. But how we talk to
students is larger than the standards we post in the classroom each morning. We either
confirm what they believe as nonreaders or give them hope that the trajectory of their
reading life can change. Im not sure there is anything more worth getting up for each
day
(Kittle 78)

Conferences: Use conferences to talk about

both reading and writing, but the most Reading Conferences (Kittle 79)
important part, per Kittle, is to LISTEN. When Goal: Where can you be most helpful?
we listen, we learn about our students and how
we can best help them. The format goes: Three categories:
question and listen, recognize insights from 1. Monitoring the students reading life. Ex:
that information, then find out whether the What are you reading? How did you choose it?
reader has a plan for next steps (Kittle 79). How do you find good books?
Conferences do not need to be more than 3 to
2. Teaching strategic reading. Ex: How is the
4 minutes long and can occur formally or
reading going for you? Is this an easy or hard
informally (during class time or while chatting
read for you? How do you know?
in the hall)
3. Helping the student plan the complexity and
Conference records: Keeping records of the
challenge her reading. Ex: What else have you
conferences is important Kittle states she
read by this author? What other books have
keeps a clipboard full of conference notes for
you read that are as difficult as this one? Which
each student. Without this, there is little to no
books on your next list are challenging? Have
way to assess the students growth or keep
you considered how to push yourself as a
track of student interests, struggles, etc.
reader?

Kittle, Penny. Book Love. Heinemann, 2013.