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I started a Sustained Silent Reading program last fall and it has worked well. Each study hall period gets one SSR period per week, scattered so they do not all fall on the same day. What I have found most vital is that you do not make any allowance for anything else to take place in the media center during SSR. (The exception to this is when teachers ask for the library for a collaborative lesson. This has been explained to the students up front so they are aware that SSR may be pre-empted for this). There are students who ask if they can "just type an essay" or read from a textbook, but that defeats the purpose of promoting the reading of freely chosen books. Students are told that they must have a book in hand to come in for the SSR period. There is no time given over to selecting a book during this period. (I have a flexible schedule, including being open before school, during lunch, and after school...there's no reason for any student not to have a book ready in advance). Once SSR begins (five minutes into the period), no one else may enter the library. I want the students who are taking advantage of SSR to be aware that this time is totally protected for them. Any faculty in the library must abide by the same rules, and faculty and staff may only read a book as well (no newspapers, no chatting, including myself). This models the value of the SSR. Some students grumble when they have forgotten about SSR that day and left another project until the last minute. This is also a lesson in responsiblity, and a failure to plan on their part does not constitute a crisis on my part. So far, so good. The SSR readers LOVE it; the faculty supports it (I notified them, and asked for feedback, BEFORE starting it); and the students who think of study hall as a pit stop to finish a weeks-long project that they have put off for weeks are learning to plan better. Bottom line: The library staff and faculty MUST participate in the reading. Hold the line and do not allow the SSR boundaries to become fuzzy, or it will be all over. Good luck! It's worth every effort you will make. I've had kids who have to force themselves to read thank me for the opportunity of 35 minutes of complete and total silence. But it's not just the silence...it's the perceived value that you are placing on it that does the trick. Steve Steve Patnode Grades 7-12 SLMS Chazy Central Rural School Chazy, NY 12921 sun85@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------------- All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/ LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html --------------------------------------------------------------------