This is a place to share our successes and ideas…what works with regard to engaging boys in reading. This is an opportunity for us to share as a community committed to making the connection between ALL students and literacy. This is a “what REALLY works” kind of page…in other words….forget the “best of the best” lists and reading awards…what do the boys in your library like…what will they check out…what is the carrot that really grabs their attention?
You know what works in your community of learners and that is what we want to share. I just read an award winning book that from the cover and review I thought was going to be a real “guy read”. However, after reading it, I can’t imagine WHO would like this book. (ok, in case you are curious, the book is the Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing…The Pox Party…while the book, Feed by the same author (M.T. Anerson) is a favorite “guy read”)
You know what is “supposed” to be good: now let’s share things that REALLY work in your library when it comes to getting guys to read. Share titles, authors, genres, subjects, nifty ideas, and creative thoughts because that is what this blog is all about…teacher-librarians in the trenches and what is really working on the home-front.
SHS Manga/Graphic Novel/Anime Club
Shenandoah Shares
Reading Celebrations, Books, Fun, and Literacy!
Greetings fellow teacher-librarians and lovers of books! I am a library media specialist at Strasburg High School in Shenandoah County Virginia! I am seeking like minded individuals to share reading celebrations ideas, powerful reading incentives, and fun stuff that has been met with success with your students! Let’s encourage reading for fun and enjoyment…literacy….what better way to start?
Celebrate Reading! Click here for secondary reading celebration ideas!
Welcome to Shenandoah Shares!!! As a library media specialist, I am all too aware of how challenging it has become to motivate students to read for enjoyment. There is just too much competition in the electronic world, not to mention sports, hanging with friends and after school jobs! HELP!! After struggling with new library software and feeling pretty disenchanted with the whole enchilada, I decided to take a good look at WHY I am here! My passion has been and continues to be, instilling a love of reading in young adults. After reading an article in the March, 2006 American Libraries entitled “The Greatest Challenge” by Michael Gorman, I am more convinced than ever, that our “greatest challenge” as teacher-librarians is indeed, to promote literacy and a love of reading: The decline in literacy is a grave problem in our society and libraries of all kinds must be an important part of the solution.
Using technology as a tool while teaching research skills and the importance of citations and evaluation of both print and online sources will continue to be vital in our library curriculum, however, as we become increasingly mired in electronics and library software, it is important to take a giant step backward, take a deep breath, and “hold the phone”….why are we here?????? READING! READING! READING! If our students leave us having never read and ENJOYED reading a book, what is the point?
And so….here goes…my first blog…please join me!
If you have a neat POSITIVE idea for a reading celebration, FUN activity, or would like to share some cutting edge ideas from a class or conference, please take a moment to share. Have you had success with a particular genre, author, or title? Do you have a fun idea to promote library use and reading?? Support the cause and jump right in…let’s hear those amazing ideas!!
Let’s get started…
SHS had a “Feed the Need to Read” reading celebration. VERY SIMPLE: check out a book, read it (or at least tell me you did), fill out an entry form and put it in the pot. You may enter as many times as you want. After about six weeks, we drew about 30 names. We got a deal on pizza, served soda and candy bars…yum, yum…The big thing was, we served this on the stage in the cafeteria. The winners had their special meal during lunch and the other kids were like “wow…what’s up with that???” This year, we hope that all of those folks will “Feed the Need to Read” and enter the contest! It was FUN, QUICK, EASY and we had over 200 entries….we WILL do it again.
PLEASE CLICK HERE AND ADD YOUR COMMENTS...looking for fabulous and even not so fabulous ideas!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment