I have used various versions of reading logs in my career. My latest version for second grade includes the title, author, date, genre, and their rating of the book (easy, too hard, just right or it was read to them aloud). My goal is for students (second graders) have a place to reflect on their book choices and get to know themselves better as readers. Students are encouraged to use them when they complete a book, both at home and at school. It’s one log for both. Daily notation is not required. There are no parent signatures at all or negative consequences for incomplete logs. We discuss the logs during small group and individual conferences. After about 8 weeks go by, we graph our choices by genre to show others our reading interests, look for connections among readers, and see how our book choices are changing. But I have been reading a lot of negative blog posts and articles about how worthless reading logs are and how negatively they can effect reading. I would love to know this forum’s thoughts, and would really love to hear what Gail and Joan think of student reading logs! Thanks!
I have been researching the effects of reading logs as well as I try to decide whether to use them or not next year. I am interested in what people will say!
I still use reading logs in class, but have totally done away with home reading logs. I use to stand by a hone reading log, but when I had my own daughter that had to fill one out I started to totally understand the pain that this can be.
I am interested to see others thoughts about the reading logs to decide if I will use them again next year. One thing I changed about reading logs two years ago, that my students and I enjoyed, was having several student share their sentences. All of the kids were excited to record and share.
At the end of the article from the Sisters linked below, the last paragraph addresses reading logs.
http://thedailycafe.com/articles/what-about-homework
Thank you for the link! I have now decided to try the morning sharing of reading instead of reading logs. Wooohooo!
I have gone back and forth on this topic for years. Some years I have used them and some not. At one point I had decided that I definitely wouldn’t use them and I had parents asking for them and some even said it helped them as parents be more accountable to read with their students each night. I continue to be unsure. Interested in others responses.
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