Thank you to everyone who replied to my request. This group is the
greatest!
Original post:
What do you do in your high schools to promote reading school-wide?
(Tried the archives, didn't really find anything) Do you have sustained
silent reading (like DEAR)? Do you have any type of incentives, but NOT
Accelerated Reading or Reading Counts? (those high school students can
be rather particular) I'm looking for something beyond booktalks and
displays of new books, beyond student reviews and blogs. Anything going
on in your school?
Replies:
We have SSR and AR but the single most effective promotion I have is
something I call Books a la Carte. I go into rooms with a cart full of
high interest books chosen specifically for that class. I do 15-25
quick book talks then let the kids browse the cart (I put the books
spine-up in tops from copier paper boxes and spread them out around the
room). I give the teacher a spreadsheet with the kids names and ID
numbers and have the teacher check out the books to the kids. That way
I don't have to ask for an ID and I don't check for overdues-- no
excuses for not getting a book. The browsing time and the teacher
confirmation of ID are the keys. I rarely have classes where fewer than
75% of the students check out books. For such a simple idea it is
amazingly effective.
We have daily SSR during third period and this is a big help teachers,
especially non-English teachers. Every class I visit reports increased
reading and decreased discipline issues during SSR. It has really
strengthened staff support for the library and has dramatically
increased the number of students who come to me for book
recommendations.
+++++
We started a book review contest in the high school this semester. I
created little half sheet book review forms then scheduled five-ten
minutes in every single English class. I went around and explained the
book review contest then did three two sentence book talks using
different books for each grade level. (My kids love these book talks.)
The contest runs until June 1st. Students may use any book they are
reading from home or the school library but it should be something they
are currently reading. They write up a book review, show it to the
teacher if their teacher is giving extra credit, then turn it in to the
library. We draw on Fridays and announce who won a small prize on
Mondays. The small prizes have included a five dollar gift certificate
to McDonald's, a little notebook and pen, a set of colored pencils &
sharpener, and a pen/pencil set from Walmart. The small prizes are all
under five dollars. We save the entries because whoever turns in the
most reviews by June 1st wins a $50.00 gift certificate to Barnes and
Noble. Our library attendance has gone up and our circulation too.
+++
I have some great ideas. My lesson plans were complete up to Spring
Break, but the school where I work is all wrapped up in AR and AR goals,
so the Principal pulled the plug on my plans so the students can use
their library time to read AR books.
I was going to introduce Choral Reading. Choral reading can be used in
many ways. I was going to choose several poems such as The Charge of the
Light Brigade, Dreams by Lanston Hughes, The Brook by Tennyson, etc.
However, students can select selections themselves to present.
Then, after Spring Break, I was going to introduce Readers' Theater
which is similar to Choral Reading, but different enough to be new and
interesting.
++++++++++
We do a few things: We do DEAR twice a year. Just started it two years
ago. Some of the teachers are now doing SSR on a regular basis so
that's a good sign. We also have a group of kids that meets once a month
to discuss books during lunch. We're trying to get more kids involved
but it's a "growing year." I'm also working with a group of kids who
read Manga. They meet twice a month or so after school.
We have book reviews in our student newspaper and post the ones from
popular magazines such as People and Entertainment weekly.
We're going to try to do one book one community this spring with our
public library. I've been trying blogs (without much success) and have
books of the week posted online and in the library. Started a staff book
group 3 years ago to get the staff to think more about reading. It's a
small but devoted group.
More spring plans: used book exchange book reviews on local TV channel
+++++++++++
For my 1st 2 yrs., I've hosted soirees called Monday Musicales
consisting of everything from student flute duos, clarinet trios, to the
Jazz Band.
Recently I established a ppbk trade section.
I've been trying to establish a Book Club for almost 2 yrs. So far,
it's a grinding uphill struggle. High school kids just aren't all that
interested in reading. Between TV & electronic stuff they stick in
their ears, there's just too much "cool" competition, I guess. Good
luck.
++++++++++++++++++
We have ssr for 15 minutes a day. They may read any books they choose.
We are also going to start a book discussion in 2 weeks. The first will
be the kids sharing some of their favorites and then we will see if they
want to choose a book to discuss. We did book discussions 3 years ago,
but I haven't had the interest again until this year. Good luck
++++++++++
For years I have had two reading promotions. Second graders receive an
award on honors day if they read and report (a very loose thing that is
usually sharing their favorite illustration and telling me why) 15
Caldecott books. Third grade and above have done 15 Newbery books. It
has always been a very successful reading program.
+++++++++++++
We just started Sustained Silent Reading for fifteen minutes twice a
week here. We've only done it one day, so I can't say what effect it
might have. The kids do seem to like it, though.
+++++++
Linda Walkup
Library Media Resource Teacher/Trainer
Tulsa Public Schools, The District of Choice
918-925-1150
walkuli@tulsaschools.org
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