Literature Logs: A Tool For Dialogue and Response
Laura S. Truesdale
North Central High School
For two years, facilitating a writing workshop (as opposed
to a traditional English class) for eighth graders in a rural
school in Kershaw, SC, evolved as one of the most rewarding
experiences of my life. After many trials, tears, laughter, a
significant increase in state-mandated test scores, and hard
work, I had become comfortable with my curriculum. Then my
principal asked me if I would like to teach reading the next
year. Speechless at first, I collected my thoughts and
immediately inquired: "Do I have to use the basal?" He replied
with a smile, "No, you can do the same things you are doing now."
Although somewhat relieved, I was still confronted by the
problem. How could I document the skills, processes, and
learning of my students' engagements with reading?
I turned to my curricular "Bible"--In the Middle
(Atwell 1987). I had relied heavily on Atwell's research in my
writing workshop, and now I turned to it again. The basic
elements of the Writing workshop consisted of time, response, and
ownership. Students were given predictable blocks of time in
which to write. In my class, we wrote three to four days per
week. The students depended upon this class time, and soon they
rushed to class with ideas and excitement. Ownership meant that
my students created their own topics; I did not choose for them.
All of their work generated from their interests, ideas, and
creativity. Response in the form of peer interaction and editing
conferences with me were crucial. All of Atwell's concepts
worked well with adolescents. Would a reading workshop operate
in like manner?
On the first day of school, I announced to my students that
our reading class would be a place where we would read "real"
books (as opposed to the contrived and controlled stories of a
basal reader), talk about books, and write about books. Three
days a week would be devoted to reading books of their own
choosing. Atwell's premises of time and ownership were
incorporated immediately. Response would be in the form of
literature logs. I stressed at the beginning that these logs
would be the most important aspect of our class. Little did I
realize at that time exactly how important they would become.
The requirements of the class were simple. On the days
that we read, everyone was required to bring a book to class,
prepared to spend time immersing him/herself in literature. If
the student truly engaged with the book all period (read all
period), a maximum of five points was given. These points
comprised one-third of their reading grade. The students were
required to write one letter to me each week about the books they
were reading. I emphasized that I did not want to know the plot
of the book--I wanted to know their reactions, their thinking,
and their questions. The literature logs comprised another one-
third of their grade. I also told my students that the reading
workshop would be their favorite class. I received many dubious
glances.
There are so many stories to tell, but I will focus on three
students who emerged as three of the most interesting and
exciting for me as a teacher-researcher. I hope their stories
will demonstrate the power and potential of writing as a means of
engaging with literature.
David:
David entered my class labeled as remedial due to past
failures on standardized tests. His attitude and behavior
displayed shyness and reluctance in terms of taking a risk with
his reading. At first, he was unwilling to venture beyond brief
plot retelling. His initial data showed me that he had not
previously invested a personal interest in reading. David
related in his pre-reading survey that in the last twelve months,
he had read only two books and did not have a favorite author.
In response to the question, "How do you feel about reading in
general?", he wrote "Do not like reading!" His first letter to
me in his literature log was short, terse, and related only the
plot of the story:
8-29-90
S. E.
Hinton
The
Outsiders
This book is pretty good, it has lots of action. One of the
outsiders, the littlest, got in a fight. I'm on page 11 right
now.
My response:
Dear David,
I promise that you will love this book. It is filled with
all different kinds of emotions. It is definitely one of my
favorites. Keep reading!
Mrs. T
All of the preliminary data informed me that David had not
been provided with any real experience in terms of literature.
He had never been given the opportunity to find relationships
between what he read and his life experiences. He did not know
how to convey his feelings and reactions about his book. But the
data also informed me that David needed lots of meaning and
transaction. As the year progressed, I observed that David
immersed himself more and more in the literate environment I
tried to create. He took risks in his letter writing and he grew
as a reader. and he was hooked on S. E. Hinton! An entry on
11-28-90 stated:
S. E.
Hinton
That was then
This is Know
That was a good book. I didn't like the way it end. It was
a lot better than the Outsiders. Taming of the Star Runner was
better than both of them. Taming of the Star Runner was the best
I ever read by S. E. Hinton. Could I write to her. Could you
get her address.
David's letter demonstrated empowerment. He not only
risked criticizing the author, but he also wanted to write to her
and share his feelings. and he continued to "outgrow himself."
At the end of the first semester, I asked my students to
reread their logs and write their reflections in a letter to me.
I invited them to find patterns or entries which surprised them.
David wrote:
1-23-91
Reading, Writing, and Spelling
I like reading as you now. Reading is fun. If you read
over the things I wrote in here. You will see a lot of
mistspelled words, that I should no how to spell. I need help
with spelling, but I got to help myself first. So I'm going to
start this week not next week. Spelling and saying words is
keeping me from reading faster. I would like your help.
David
My response:
1-23-90
Dear David,
Rarely do I read an entry that is so insightful and honest
and reflective! You have thought and assessed exactly what your
weakness is and have sought help to accomplish your goal. I
applaud you!
My advice is to keep reading as much as possible for
pleasure.
Don't worry a whole lot about your spelling--some people are
just poor spellers (usually the brightest) and that's why we have
EDITORS!
Thanks for sharing this with me. I will continue to support
and encourage you.
Love,
Mrs. T
David's reflection portrayed a young man who had grown
confident that sharing his weakness would provide a supportive
response. He knew where he was in the continuum of his growth,
where he wanted to go, and how he planned to get there.
By the end of the year, David's growth as a reader and one
who constructed personal meaning through writing was phenomenal.
Recorded on his final evaluation in response to the question,
"What are the most important things you have learned in your
literature logs?":
I liked writing in my literature logs. Evertime I
wrote in it I tryed to guess what you were going to write back.
It was fun writing to you. I wish we can do it next year
to.
On his post-reading survey, David stated that he had read
fifteen books, ("more than I have read in years"), his favorite
author was "the author of the Hardy Boys," and he currently felt
that "now I do like reading." and he was "de-labeled" (no longer
remedial) because he met the standard on our state-mandated
testing (Basic Skills Assessment Program). I learned from David
that reluctant readers need lots of time and patience. He had
experienced failure for so long that any aggressive behaviors on
my part probably would have turned him off to reading forever.
Katie:
Katie presented a very different story in that she entered
my class as an exceptional student. She was labeled an
"advanced" student. But Katie was similar to David in many ways.
She was extremely shy and recorded on her pre-reading survey that
she had read only four books in the past twelve months, had never
reread a book, and seldom read at home for pleasure. Through
Katie's log, many exciting and sad discoveries emerged throughout
the year.
Her first log entry:
8-30-90
Mrs. T,
I really enjoy this class. It gives me a chance to clear
my mind and relax, This book I'm reading is good. Well, see
ya'.
Yours truly,
Katie
My response:
9-4-90
Dear Katie,
Thanks! I'm glad that you like the class. I, too, feel
the same way about reading for pleasure--it's a way to relax.
Tell me next time what book and why you think it's good.
Mrs. T
I sensed immediately that Katie was ready for a gentle
"nudge." She continued to "play it safe" for a month or so; she
was not ready to take risks. Like David, she had been programmed
by past curricula to play "the one right answer" game. Rarely
did we talk to each other in class; our dialogue centered in the
log. After Christmas, Katie told me that her mother was dying of
cancer. An incredible bond formed and grew. Her log enabled me
to become her compassionate confidante and reading became her
sanest escape from heartache.
Her mid-year reflection mirrored my assessment of her
current behaviors:
1-23-91
Dear Mrs. T,
After reading over my journal I have noticed that over the
past few months we've been in school I can really express my
feelings about my reading, writing, and personal things. I think
that in my overall writings in my log that my favorite authors
are Duncan and Zindel. (Although I need to work on elaborating
when talking about them). I think lit. logs are a great idea.
Sometimes its easier to write than actually talk!
Love,
Katie
Katie was an empowered learner, and I believe that her last
statement described her personal feelings. Her entry also
demonstrated that she realized where she was in terms of her
reading and where she needed to improve. Her honesty was
revealing and poignant.
The post-reading survey stated that she had read nineteen
books, she had reread a book to "see what it would be like to
read it and know what happened in the end," and she read often at
home. Her autobiography (telling me how she had grown and
changed as a reader this year) portrayed a confident and mature
reader:
My outlook on reading is very high since the
beginning of the year. I've read a variety of books this year to
give me a feel of different styles. Realistic books such as Judy
Blume are my favorite books. Every once in a while you need to
break the cycle of things so that's when I read a Zindel book.
I've grown in my reading this year because I used to look
upon it as something I did every once in a while but now I read
on a regular bases. Reading now relaxes me from the real world
and I get captured in the characters body. Reading give me a
chance to "get away" from everything. This year has been great
especially this class. I wish I could be in a class like this
next year but not all things are possible. I will continue
reading throughout the summer and continue through the
years.
Katie exceeded my expectations a thousandfold. Reading is
a priority in her life and will continue to be so; I have no
doubts about that.
Jason:
Jason was an outgoing, delightful boy; he thrived on having
fun at all times. He was also highly intelligent and desperately
unmotivated; the initial data was a cry for help. Jason needed a
challenge and the workshop provided that and much more for him.
On his pre-reading survey, Jason stated that he had read nine
books last year (none during the summer), he did not read at home
for pleasure, and he did not have a favorite author. One of his
first letters to me read:
9-14-90
The Choose your own adventure books are good I finished one two
times. I also like A light in the attic. Those poems are funny.
I finished it too. Well I must go.
Jason
Because students were encouraged to select their own books,
Jason discovered fantasy and science fiction books. Ursula
LeGuin and Lloyd Alexander opened up a whole new world for him.
He became so enthralled with LeGuin's EarthSea trilogy that he
decided to write her to see if she would allow him to use her
characters as the basis for a Nintendo game!
At the end of the year, Jason wrote on his post-reading
survey that he had read fifteen books, that he read frequently at
home, and that his favorite authors were Ursula LeGuin and Lloyd
Alexander. He revealed in his autobiography:
This year, the 8th grade. I have had the bad books
along with the good. I first started out reading Choose your own
adventure books. That was the bad. Those books had no real
characters or adventure. It didn't have intellectual "meat"! I
thought I liked them, but now I wonder how I could have. I then
read a "classic," The Call of the Wild. I grew, in a sense,
intellectually. I started to hate choose your own adventure
books. I then got into poetry and wrote a play-off of The Raven.
I then slipped into the fantasy world of Earthsea. I was now
engulfed fully by fantasy. I had now fully went from cheap old
choose books to intellectually "fat" fantasy books. I have grown
from the bad to the ugly and finally to the good!
I learned from Jason when to intervene and when not to
"butt in." He showed me that when students are surrounded by
those who are "joyfully literate," they, too, become ecstatically
literate. Jason displayed for me the power of reflection. His
final evaluation enabled him to reflect in such a way that he saw
how much he had "outgrown his former self"!
Implications for the Middle School Classroom:
What messages and lessons do these stories tell me as a
classroom teacher of reading? I learned that Atwell's principles
do work for a reading workshop, but these students displayed
insights far beyond what I had predicted. As I step back and try
to decide what mattered for me and my students, I believe that
the building of a community of learners was most crucial. I
tried to create a safe environment where risks could be taken to
facilitate growth and empowerment. Students chose books which
best suited their emerging needs, purposes, and interests. I
believe that learning with and from my students provided
demonstrations of a "joyfully literate" adult. Showing students
what mattered most to me--their thinking, their reactions to
literature, and their questions--created life-long learners and
inquirers. and as the flip-side, they created a teacher who
believes in classroom-based research in order to provide informed
curricular decisions.
New Beginning:
David, Katie, and Jason represented only three of my
students who were empowered through writing to discover. The
logs transformed our lives. Bonds were formed, risks were taken,
and life-long readers were created, all accomplished through
dialogue and response. I want to learn more in terms of how our
dialogue informed curricular decisions and student growth. I
want to know more about the power of adolescent literature and
why it seems to have such a profound effect on my students. I
want to know how better to promote reflective thinking. These
ponderings will be the basis for classroom-based research for
next year. These questions also present a challenge for me and
other teachers of adolescents.
Work Cited
Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle. Portsmouth: Heineman,
1987.
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