Transform your classroom into a place where students want to read.

In this inspiring graduate-level course, you’ll explore The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller and discover how to ignite a love of reading in every student. Move beyond traditional approaches and learn how to create a reading culture built on choice, engagement, and authentic experiences.

You’ll uncover powerful strategies to increase student motivation, build reading stamina, and foster true ownership of reading. Learn how to shift your role from instructor to reading mentor—guiding students toward independence and a lifelong connection to books.

Through reflection and real-world application, you’ll design a personalized plan to bring these practices to life in your classroom.

Because every student can become a reader—when given the right environment to thrive.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Critically analyze the theoretical foundations and instructional implications of Donalyn Miller’s reading philosophy, citing evidence from the text and current literacy research. 

• Evaluate and justify instructional decisions by comparing current classroom reading practices with research-based approaches that foster student independence and engagement. 

• Design and justify a comprehensive, student-centered reading framework that incorporates choice, access to diverse literature, and authentic reading experiences aligned to student needs. 

• Synthesize course concepts to develop and implement instructional strategies that build reading stamina, accountability, and reflective practices in diverse classroom settings.

• Construct and defend a personalized, research-informed action plan that demonstrates the gradual release of responsibility and supports the development of lifelong readers.