1. You must always be reading a book or writing your thoughts about your reading in your independent reading journals or on sticky notes.

2. You need to work silently to enable you and other students to do your best thinking.

3. Use a soft voice when conferring with a teacher or other students. When conferencing with a reading buddy make sure you're talking about what you have been reading.

4. Select books you think you'll enjoy and abandon books that aren't working for you after you've given them a good chance.

5. When you begin a journal entry, list the title and author in your journal, record the date you started and the date you finished. If you abandoned the book make sure to give a reason why.

6. Always do your best work.