Hello,
I asked for information about how high school's have instituted SSR.
Thanks to everyone who responded. Here's the feedback:
SSR Feedback from LM-Net
We do a lousy imitation of it. In January until March (state wide
testing) once a week the entire high school does SSR for 10-15 each
period. But most teachers give the students something to read that's
related to their curriculum. There's very little free choice
reading. The teachers do this for two reasons. 1. they can give the
kids question sheets to make sure the kids are actually reading and 2.
the hate that they lose the instructional time so they figure they can
jam more info thru reading. Makes me crazy!
Karen Manassa-Walstein
Teacher-Librarian
Old Bridge High School - Grade Nine Center
Old Bridge, NJ
mets53@comcast.net
We've been doing it for years and years. It's done for 20 minutes
right after lunch.
There's a great book: The SSR Manual by Pilgreen.
Connie
Connie Williams
Teacher Librarian / National Board Certified
CSLA past President
Petaluma High School
200 Fair Street
Petaluma, CA 94952
707-778-4662
chwms@mac.com
http://www.phslibrary.org
All our middle and high school Communication Arts classes use their
classes on Fridays as reading days. Students read for pleasure.
Beth
Beth Yount
Library Media Specialist
Marceline R-V School District
Co-Chair Northeast Region MASL
314 E. Santa Fe
Marceline, MO. 64658
660-376-2166 ext. 4150 / 7082
byount@marceline.k12.mo.us
We have a 25 minute homeroom period every day. Channel One is shown
for @12 minutes of that time. After Channel One we have SSR.
Unfortunately, no one enforces it; SO, in some classrooms the students
read (mostly in the library, the English classes & a couple of math
classrooms)....the other classes use it as a free period.
During this homeroom time there are often class meetings,
organizational meetings, etc. On those days, those students of course
do not watch Channel One or read.
The students who do have to read, really do help the circulation
figures & I notice that some of them are also reading their books
during their study hall time. It could be a good program if it was
done correctly.
Linda Hill
At the high school where I used to work, I was on the committee to
help implement it. We did SSR daily for 17 or 19 minutes (I don't
remember exactly how it worked out) in the afternoon. We took 2 or 3
minutes off of each class period - took us from 50 minute classes to
47 or 48 minute classes - this was not appreciated by many of the lab-
style classes. It is really important that all teachers "buy into" the
SSR program.
I work in a different district now. I work in the middle school, but I
know the high school begins their school day with 20 minutes of SSR. I
believe they are on a modified block schedule, so I am not sure how to
describe their day. They underwent a lot of changes to implement SSR
on a daily basis in that school. It is called Jay County High School
in Portland, Indiana. Vicki Reitz is the head of guidance, and she
could probably lead you in the right direction of whom you could speak
with for more information. I wouldn't suggest talking to the media
specialist as she is referred to as the "Book Nazi" and limits the
number of times/month students can come to the library. Needless to
say, our high schoolers use the public library frequently. :) You can
tell Vicki you got her name from Abby Tipton.
Hope this leads you in the right direction,
Abby
Our School Improvement Team has just surveyed our staff about doing SSR
during a 30 minute period we call Mentoring. So far the response is 80+%
positive. We think 20 minutes of the Mentoring period will be devoted to
SSR daily, 5 days a week. Please share your other responses with me.
Thank you,
Mary Ann Allen, NBCT
Library/Media Specialist
Gallup High School Library
1055 Rico Street
Gallup, NM 87301
505-721-2521
mallen@gmcs.k12.nm.us
We tried that for 15 minutes in every class once a week, but teachers
would forget or resent the time lost. Several did it on Friday, so
some of the kids felt like they were wasting a day. Now almost every
Wednesday we have a 30 minute reading activity period. Everyone in the
school stops (secretaries, teachers, principals, students, counselors)
and reads for 30 minutes. That is enough time to actually get into
their books. The only complaint has been that they won't put the books
down later in other classes.
Jan Owens, M. Ed.
Media Specialist
Greenwood High School
440 East Gary Street
Greenwood, AR 72936
Web manager http://ghsweb.k12.ar.us
479-996-4141 Ext. 3062
FAX 479-996-6548
Megan Frazer Blakemore
Westbrook High School Librarian
125 Stroudwater Street
Westbrook, ME 04092
207-854-0810 x474
blakemorem@westbrookschools.org
I'm reading Flash Burnout by LK Madigan. What about you?
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