Creating a Student Centred Reading Culture

                                            Creating a Student Centred Reading Culture 

 

As an elementary teacher librarian, I have the privilege of working with students from Kindergarten to Grade Seven. While every Kindergarten student is excited to take out books, this is not always the case for all Grade Seven students. There are many reasons for this, but a key factor, I believe, is self concept. Students have internalized that they are not good readers because they have been forced to read books that were boring for them or that were simply too hard for them. 

My goal as a teacher librarian is to put the exact right book in a student's hands at the right moment. During book sign out time, this means listening to, and learning about, each student as an individual so that I can help them choose a great book. While co-planning, it means gently encouraging teachers to move away from units based around one book for the whole class to read or group literature circles to students self selecting books. My thinking around this has very much been influenced by Nanci Atwell's Reader Workshop program. She believes that students do best when given the choice of what they will read and write about (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usy3ixT0QpA).


 

 

In my self directed library time, it means running a reading buddies program so that older students can see themselves as excellent readers in the eyes of a younger buddy. As teacher Ryan Wheeler says of his Reading Buddies program, "For upper elementary students who are struggling with grade-level reading, the opportunity to access easier reading material without stigma or shame while sharing with a novice reader can create a positive experience with an activity that may otherwise be less than enjoyable" (https://www.edutopia.org/article/reading-buddies). Finally, as a book purchaser for the library, it means buying books so that each student can see themselves reflected in, and interested by, what they read.

 



A new library lesson that I am excited to try out is based on the picture book "My Very Favourite Book in the Whole Wide World". I learned of this lesson while meeting with other Teacher Librarians in my district. The main character in the story does not see himself as a reader and so struggles with coming up with one book that is his favourite. That is until he decides to write a book himself. Then, he gets inspired and passionate about the written word. When students in one of the other libraries in my district heard this story, they themselves get super excited to write their own stories and to read the stories of their peers. The librarian said that for three weeks the kids kept asking for more time to write and read their stories (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXNFH-MNd2c).


 

One of my favourite thinkers is Alain de Boton. He once said that art museums would do well to think of themselves as great restaurants, with great live events, great shopping, and yes also some great art. What he was getting at, I think, is that art is an enjoyable part of life and not some rarified thing that is separated out from the world and understood only through the lens of a P.h.D in Art History. I think the same is true with libraries. A school library should feature great classic literature, but also books that are silly and gross and scary and romantic. Libraries should focus on being a space for children to have fun interacting with one another and with stories rather than a quiet place of study.

I have several future goals to help make my library a space for fun for everyone. Firstly, I want to encourage students to begin and run their own clubs by making the library space available for meetings during lunch hour. Cooking books are also really popular at my school so I would like to have a healthy snack club before school where together we make and enjoy quick and healthy bites to eat. I was inspired by an article I read about East Elementary School where they are making this a reality ("https://www.newstribune.com/news/2022/jan/28/elementary-school-cooking-club-creates-delicious/). Another series of books that are super popular right now are "Minecraft" How To Guides.  I would like to run an after school Minecraft club so that students can take the knowledge that they are learning from their reading and put it into practical use.

 

 Bibliography

 

Campbell, Anna. “Elementary School Cooking Club Creates Delicious Lessons.” News Tribune, News Tribune, 28 Jan. 2022, https://www.newstribune.com/news/2022/jan/28/elementary-school-cooking-club-creates-delicious/.

The US Teacher Changing How Classrooms Work , Global Teacher Prize, 15 Feb. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usy3ixT0QpA. Accessed 7 Feb. 2022. 

My Very Favourite Book in the Whole Wide World, Wellesley Free Library, 25 Jan. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXNFH-MNd2c. Accessed 6 Feb. 2022. 

Wheeler, Ryan. “Reading Buddies.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 8 Aug. 2018, https://www.edutopia.org/article/reading-buddies.


 


 

 


 



 


Comments

  1. Kim12 February 2022 at 05:42

    Hi Soren,

    Advocating for choice for your students is so important, have you seen a change in the way teachers are using books in the class? I also love your reasoning for having buddy readers. I had never considered this perspective, but I can see how it would bring value and confidence to some of our older students. How often do your buddies meet?

    Do you publish student work in your library? We offer this as an option and our students are so proud to see their books being checked out by other students in the school.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sonia Aston12 February 2022 at 11:57

    Hi Soren,
    I love the idea of organizing clubs for students to perhaps pursue some of their own interests in terms of the library! I think that this will make it more interesting and fun for all students. There are also so many options for this such as book clubs, writing clubs, and gaming clubs to name a few!
    I agree with your position about listening to students and helping them to select books that they like and are interested in. What students seem to be interested in these days are graphic novels. What do you feel about the role they play in terms of encouraging reluctant readers to start to become more interested in reading?

    Best wishes,
    Sonia

    ReplyDelete
  3. D.McNee13 February 2022 at 16:57

    This is a strong post filled with great ideas about fostering a reading culture. I appreciate your reflective narrative as well as the wide variety of strategies you share. The multimedia elements enhanced your discussion. In your next post, you may want to consider making the URLS in your post hyperlinks. This will help your reader access the resources you are sharing.

    ReplyDelete

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