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Building Community through Literature
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From: Karen Kavanagh <tnkkav>
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 22:43:31 -0500
There are several ways that community is built through literature at Waterloo Elementary School. One of the most successful is a Chapter-a?y Club for 6th graders that I host during four daily lunch periods each week. As a library media specialist with a fixed schedule, one-half hour /week with each of 23 classes, I found it difficult to share literature with my 6th graders, given the time constraints. The problem was resolved by taking a chapter-a?y approach and scheduling it when my kids were available. I introduce the author and begin a great read-aloud during our regular half-hour class. Students who are hooked by that first chapter or two then sign-up to join me in the media center over their lunches and I read-aloud while they eat. Because their arrival is slightly staggered, there is a bit of social time, sometimes discussion related to the book, sometimes not, before everyone has gathered and the reading begins. Some students sign-up for every book offered, they enjoy the program so much. Others pick and choose. On the day of the last chapter, I bring dessert and when possible, we visit the author's website or see a video clip of the author on teaching.books.net
I also host an annual Family Night Read-In during which new library books are displayed and available for perusal and check-out. Kids often come in pjs. After time for individual and small group reading with friends and family, a bed-time snack and read-aloud are shared with the whole group. Last spring we celebrated El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros with our read-in and members of our ESL families joined me for bilingual Spanish/English reading aloud of favorite picture books. We also hold a green eggs and ham breakfast annually for families in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday and Read Across America. It's wonderful to see families eating breakfast together over books and visiting with the families of their children's classmates.
Each year we also host an author visit which means every student and staff member becoming immersed in the work of that author in preparation for the visit. School-wide reading of the same author is a great community builder. We also feature an "author-of-the-week during each Monday morning's school-wide announcements. A brief bio of the author is read by the principal and that author's work is showcased throughout the week in the library.
Finally, as the result of the first county-wide Read-It/Share-It program two years ago, we have a staff/parent book club that meets in our library media center after school once every month or so to discuss a previously selected title. It seems that most of our community building efforts at WES use literature as a vehicle.
Karen Kavanagh,
Waterloo Elementary School
Waterloo, WI
Received on Sun 19 Oct 2003 10:43:31 PM CDT
Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2003 22:43:31 -0500
There are several ways that community is built through literature at Waterloo Elementary School. One of the most successful is a Chapter-a?y Club for 6th graders that I host during four daily lunch periods each week. As a library media specialist with a fixed schedule, one-half hour /week with each of 23 classes, I found it difficult to share literature with my 6th graders, given the time constraints. The problem was resolved by taking a chapter-a?y approach and scheduling it when my kids were available. I introduce the author and begin a great read-aloud during our regular half-hour class. Students who are hooked by that first chapter or two then sign-up to join me in the media center over their lunches and I read-aloud while they eat. Because their arrival is slightly staggered, there is a bit of social time, sometimes discussion related to the book, sometimes not, before everyone has gathered and the reading begins. Some students sign-up for every book offered, they enjoy the program so much. Others pick and choose. On the day of the last chapter, I bring dessert and when possible, we visit the author's website or see a video clip of the author on teaching.books.net
I also host an annual Family Night Read-In during which new library books are displayed and available for perusal and check-out. Kids often come in pjs. After time for individual and small group reading with friends and family, a bed-time snack and read-aloud are shared with the whole group. Last spring we celebrated El Dia de los Ninos/El Dia de los Libros with our read-in and members of our ESL families joined me for bilingual Spanish/English reading aloud of favorite picture books. We also hold a green eggs and ham breakfast annually for families in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday and Read Across America. It's wonderful to see families eating breakfast together over books and visiting with the families of their children's classmates.
Each year we also host an author visit which means every student and staff member becoming immersed in the work of that author in preparation for the visit. School-wide reading of the same author is a great community builder. We also feature an "author-of-the-week during each Monday morning's school-wide announcements. A brief bio of the author is read by the principal and that author's work is showcased throughout the week in the library.
Finally, as the result of the first county-wide Read-It/Share-It program two years ago, we have a staff/parent book club that meets in our library media center after school once every month or so to discuss a previously selected title. It seems that most of our community building efforts at WES use literature as a vehicle.
Karen Kavanagh,
Waterloo Elementary School
Waterloo, WI
Received on Sun 19 Oct 2003 10:43:31 PM CDT
