Student writing thoughtfully in a reading response journal at his desk during a classroom reading lesson
A Reading Response Journal helps students turn their thinking about stories into meaningful writing.

How to Use a Reading Response Journal

(Without Getting “It Was Good”)

Do you want your students to really love a book? Engage with a story? Deepen their own writing? Maybe even grow into stronger writers?

You already build community every time your students laugh at the same line, hold their breath at the same moment, or sigh at a story’s end. A Reading Response Journal (RRJ) just gives that community a place to live on paper — a spot for their thoughts, connections, and questions to take shape.

A Reading Response Journal isn’t one more thing to grade. It’s a bridge — a gentle structure that helps students reflect, write, and talk about books in real, meaningful ways. Think of it as an ongoing conversation between a reader, a story, and a teacher who believes their words matter.

If you’ve ever collected a stack of reading responses that all said “It was good,” you know the struggle. You want students to think about books — not just finish them. The RRJ gives you a simple routine that nurtures deeper thinking without adding hours of grading.

Start with the Story

Choose a read-aloud that invites reflection — one that stirs emotion or memory.

A favorite of mine is The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. The story opens with:

“In a rainbow-colored station wagon that smelled like a real car, the relatives came.”

Even that first line holds a feeling — a sensory image that makes you smile.

Before you even read on, ask:

  • Have you ever traveled to visit family or had relatives come to visit you?

  • Was it crazy? chaotic? loud and full of love?

  • Who did you visit — grandparents, cousins? What do you remember most?

Let them share their stories. Then wonder together:

  • What might happen in this book?

  • What moments might the author include?

And then simply say, “Excellent. Let’s read.”

When you start a read-aloud this way, you’re inviting students into the story before the first page even turns. You’re building connection and conversation right from the start.

Teacher reading aloud to a group of young students sitting on the carpet during a classroom story time
Read-alouds create shared experiences that help every student feel part of the story.

Why We Read Aloud

Read-alouds aren’t filler — they’re foundation. They let every child experience the magic of reading without the pressure of decoding. They create shared experiences that knit a class together and build a community of readers.

You can read aloud to:

  1. Enjoy the story together.

  2. Let students hear the rhythm and beauty of language.

  3. Make personal connections — the heart of an RRJ.

  4. Study how an author writes — turning stories into mentor texts.

  5. Learn something new about people, places, or life itself.

And here’s the truth: better readers become better writers, and better writers become better readers. The more your students connect with stories, the more they’ll notice how writers think — and the more they’ll want to write like that themselves.

Model the Response

When you first introduce the RRJ, try not to just say, “Write about it.”
They don’t yet know what that means. So, show them.

Before class, write a short response of your own. Then share your process aloud:

“When I read The Relatives Came, I remembered sitting on my great-grandmother’s porch swing. It was always so hot, and everyone sat close together, just happy to be near each other. Sometimes the insects went quiet, and we’d hear the soft hum from the flowers and bushes around the yard. It felt like magic — just being together.”

Then explain what you did:

  • I picked my favorite part because it brought back a feeling and a memory.

  • You don’t have to love every story — your response is about what it meant to you.

  • Sometimes a connection is what turns a story into a memory that sticks.

You’re not grading here; you’re modeling thinking — and conversation.

Student standing at the front of the classroom reading from her notebook and sharing her writing with classmates
When students share their responses, they see their words — and voices — truly matter.

Invite Students to Write and Share

Once you’ve modeled, invite them to write. Offer choices: a favorite part, a least favorite part, or a connection (text-to-self, text-to-text, or text-to-world).

Encourage them to set up their journal entries like this:

  • Title

  • Author

  • Star Rating (1–5)

  • Connection Type — circle one: Text-to-Self / Text-to-Text / Text-to-World

After they write, let them talk. Pair students up to share an excerpt or favorite line. Every writer — even a brand-new one — wants to be heard.

This is where the magic happens.
One student’s thought can spark another’s. One idea can make someone think differently.

This is how you help kids talk and think like writers.

Smiling student holding an open book in a library, excited about reading and learning
The joy of reading is where every thoughtful response begins.

Use Rubrics & Checklists as Gentle Guides

A simple checklist turns expectations into empowerment. Try one that includes:

  • Effort: I listened to instructions and stayed on task.

  • Conventions: My spelling and grammar make sense.

  • Meaning: I explained my thoughts instead of writing “It was good.”

  • Connection Type: I circled the type of connection I made.

Invite students to self-score and even peer-score. Let them sign both names on the rubric.

When students learn to reflect on their own writing, they start to understand why writing matters — and that’s the real win.

Choosing the Right Books

Not every book needs a deep response. Some are just plain fun — and that’s okay!

But for RRJ moments, choose stories that reach for something deeper:

  • The Relatives Came — warmth, family, belonging

  • The Gardener by Sarah Stewart — resilience, beauty, and hope

You want stories that make your students say, “That reminded me of…” or “I wonder why the author chose that ending.”

Those are the conversations that grow readers and writers.

Teacher smiling beside students who are writing in their notebooks during a classroom lesson
Writing about reading helps students find their voice — one page at a time.

Give Space for Thinking Time

You don’t have to expect a written response the same day you read. Sometimes it helps to wait. Tell your students, “I like to let a story sit with me overnight. I think about it when I’m doing other things.”

Then, when they’re ready, add the book to your reading or ELA center. Let them reread it before writing their response. That small pause gives them freedom — and takes away the pressure to perform.

Closing: Building a Community of Thinkers and Writers

When you use reading response journals this way, you’re not assigning more work. You’re building a community of thinkers and writers — students who talk about books, listen to each other, and connect ideas across texts and lives.

You’re showing them that their voices belong in the conversation.
That their opinions matter.
That stories connect us all.

Reading response journals help students see themselves as part of a community — where connection leads to conversation, and conversation leads to growth.

And journaling doesn’t have to stop there.
If you want to keep nurturing that habit of reflection and voice, you might also try using a Morning Positivity Journal to start the day. It helps students begin with gratitude, confidence, and calm — a few mindful moments that remind them their words can shape their day.

Or explore a Nature Journal, where students capture what they notice outdoors — a sound, a leaf, a color, a change in the sky. It’s another kind of listening: paying attention to the world and to themselves.

Each of these journals serves a different purpose, but together they strengthen something bigger — the practice of noticing, reflecting, and finding your own voice.

You’re already creating that space every day.
The journal just helps you capture the magic. 🌿