Weekly Text Logs

Dear Parents,

I would like to have all students become engaged, self-motivated readers. Kids who choose to read on their own, not only become better readers, but also life long readers and learners. A book can become a friend, a passport to other places, a source of information, a bridge to self-knowledge. To encourage this, I will be assigning reading as homework.

Students may select any book at their reading level. It can be fiction or non-fiction. I will even allow, to a limited extent, magazine articles (prior approval necessary). The key is to make sure it is interesting to the student and at their level or slightly above.

Students will be assigned 20 minutes of reading nightly Monday through Thursday. Each night they will respond to what they have read by filling out a text log. Text log entries must be at least 5 sentences long and give thoughtful comments that show the student has understood what they have read. The text log form gives a variety of questions that can guide the student to a good response. I will allow students to do 2 or more text logs in one night as long as they are reading the total of 80 minutes a week and making 4 text log entries.

Parents are asked to check over the text log on Thursday then sign it. It is due on Friday. No late or unsigned text logs will be accepted. When you look over the text log, please take the opportunity to talk to your student about what they have read. Absent students may turn them in upon return.

The school and classroom libraries are available or your student can purchase their own books. Text logs are due every week except short weeks due to track change. They are worth 10 points. Missed text logs can cause reading grades to drop tremendously. Please check nightly to make sure your child is reading and filling out their logs. Ask for it on Thursday so that you may sign it.