Thinking Outside the Bin

Ramirez, Carmina

Parrott, K. (2017). Thinking Outside the Bin. School Library Journal, 63(8), 42–45. Retrieved from http://libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lls&AN=124436664&site=ehost-live&scope=site 

Kierra Parrott discusses the dangers of labeling books by reading levels. She cites different authors who think the practice is the formula for failure. Matching children with books solely by reading level removes the teacher’s responsibility for knowing much about children’s literature or teaching children meaningful strategies for self-selecting books.  The author believes that children must learn the skills of reading at the same time they develop a positive reading identify. She admits that it takes more time to teach students how to self select books within their reading capabilities. But in the long run they use those skills to become life long readers. Finally, she states that removing, defining, limiting, or rejecting children’s reading choices disempowers them and creates negative attitudes toward reading and most likely school.

This article includes some of the views of author Pernille Ripp who opposes labeling books because the practice also labels kids. I find this article very interesting and one to take extremely serious. Many students who have participated in reading programs such as Accelerated Reading figure out that if they fail their reading test, their reading level will be lower and therefore they would have to read less. Participating in the program, for many, is a way to destroy the love of reading.