I am really struggling with my essential question, to be honest. Both the questions that I mentioned in last week's post are fine and would be valuable to research, but aren't quite focused enough to get me interested. In hopes of something else catching my attention and focusing/re-directing my essential question I am going to do some Module responses...
Module 3: Supporting Learners Through the Library: Cultivating Life-long Reading Habits
I have so enjoyed this module; I really can't get over how good the readings were! Just as I was started to feel a bit bogged down by my Teacher-Librarian coursework thinking of the various tasks that needed to be completed, the information that needed to be acquired, and the readings that needed to be completed....this module comes along and reignites my passion for reading. Not that I haven't been reading for fun - I always have one or two books on the go (usually one audio and one paper book at a time) - but it was nice to be reminded of why I fell in love with the library in the first place. Reading is fun (Kelley, S & Miller, D, 2013), it is powerful (Krashen, S. 2012), it can literally lengthen our life (Bavishi, Slade, & Levy, 2016), it has the ability to change the world as we know it (Gaiman, N. 2013).
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| "Reading" from suswanwiggs.com |
Before I ramble too much about how the various readings have inspired me this week I wanted to discuss that I believe I have found exactly what I was seeking at the beginning of this post - a more focused Essential Question idea, and one that gets me excited! This week's readings were all about inspiring readers to cultivate life-long readings habits. This is exactly why I went into teaching in the first place first pursuing an English degree, and why that same passion has led me into the Library/Learning Commons: I love reading - and I think others should too! To this end my essential question focuses on how to inspire those around me to make reading a habit of theirs that they love, instead of simply completing coursework or required Pro-D. I want to make the Library/Learning Commons a place where students and staff alike come to get inspired for their next read, they can share what they're reading with others, they can get hooked on new authors -- and more!
Some Excerpts from the Readings that Led me Here
The readings this week were particularly inspirational; I found that I was constantly scribbling ideas, book names, and reading tips into my notebook to refer back to - a practice I am not particularly consistent with. Some of these are important because they helped lead me to this essential question focus. In Kelley & Millar's chapter on how "Wild Readers Share Books and Reading with Other Readers", I was inspired by the seemingly endless tips on how to cultivate a culture of reading in the classroom as well as with those in our lives (2013). I noted multiple tips such as utilizing Book Commercials as a transition between activities, using read-aloud books such as "Ask Me" by Antje Damm to evoke ideas and conversation, and creating Reading Doors to advertise what we are reading and to inspire students to demonstrate their own learning and passion (Kelley & Millar, 2013). There were so many good tips from this one chapter that I am considering purchasing the rest of the book!
In Krashen's lecture on "The Power of Reading" I was ready to settle in for a boring hour of learning about why reading is important. Instead, Krashen's humorous lecture style and undeniable evidence on the importance of reading for pleasure had me hooked. Krashen's thesis boils down to the fact that reading for fun (or Free Voluntary Reading if we're being technical) is the best teacher for reading ability, improving grammar and spelling, and enhancing our writing style (2012). I just loved the idea that simply being able to read whatever it is that we want to read (including graphic novels) will make us more literate; seems common sense of course but who still has silent reading as a daily part of their classroom routine? Well, once I get a classroom it is going straight back in mine!
There were other excellent reads such as Neil Gaiman's article on "Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming" (2013) which read nicely with Krashen's lecture on the importance of reading to escape and have fun. Also of note is Bashivi, Slade & Levy's study on how reading books can lengthen your life by approximately 23 months - even when accounting for other factors (2016). That one blew me away. However, the reads that were more practical of nature and therefore more interesting for me were the two I went into above.
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| "Developing a passion for Reading" from blog.bjupress.com |
Response to Module Prompt:
Since I was so inspired by the readings of this module I also wanted to respond to the prompt that was provided. I chose to respond to the Elementary Prompt:
Elementary Scenario
A grade two student comes into the library, on his own, to choose books. He is usually an enthusiastic science book fan (insects, tigers, sharks). He looks sad and defeated and says: “My Mom says that from now on I have to have take out chapter books to help my reading and they have to be a 2.4”.
What do you do/say? How do you help this student? Who do you involve? How do you turn this dilemma into an opportunity?
Note: On the back of some books there is a lexile measure grade equivalent (e.g. 2.4). It is a measured test based on text and proposed reading levels. Look it up if interested in more detail. 2.4 would mean not quite half way through grade 2. (Schembri, N. 2018)
After completing the readings of the module and with that knowledge in mind, I would need to address this situation in the moment but also create a longer term plan. Right away I would suggest to the student that they choose something that would appease their parent and would work on their reading skills, but then they should also choose something that they would enjoy reading. This would allow the student to choose some reading for "homework" but also choose something for their own interest. Depending on my relationship with the teacher/parent I would also consider placing a phone call home to discuss the comment and the parent's concerns. Perhaps the parent doesn't understand the lexile system and thinks that their child is below grade level, or is worried that their child is falling behind in other ways; either way touching base with the parent to understand their perspective is always a good idea (though this may be more suitable for the classroom teacher).
For a longer term approach I would want to do some outreach to create more reading awareness. One of the resources that I could turn to for this is the chapter in Kelley & Millar's book that we read this week (2013). Some of the examples included such as sending home a reading newsletter that includes home reading tips could include information about the power of simply reading for pleasure (as discussed in Krashen's lecture (2012)). By adding a "currently reading" book to my email signature I could demonstrate the importance of reading for fun in choosing fun Fiction reads rather than solely educational reads.
These are just a couple of thoughts to address this tricky situation; I'm sure there are many ways to come at this kind of issue but based on the readings this week I actually feel empowered to do so instead of possibly feeling stuck - as I may have previously.
Note: Even though I have only tackled one module here I feel that I have made good progress in my essential question so I am going to cap this Learning Curation here. Until next time readers.
Resources
Bavishi, A., Slade, M. D., & Levy, B. R. (2016). A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity. Social Science & Medicine (1982), 164, 44-48.
"Developing a Passion for Reading." [image] Retrieved from blog.bjupress.com on Sep 9.,2018.
Gaiman, N. (2013, October 15). "Why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming." The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming?CMP=twt_gu on Sep. 9, 2018.
Kelley, S., & Miller, D. (2013) Reading in the wild: The book whisper’s keys to cultivating lifelong reading habits. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. p.88-128 (Book Excerpt)
Krashen, S. (2012, April 5). "The power of reading." The COE lecture series. University of Georgia. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSW7gmvDLag on Sep. 9,2018.
"Reading." [image] Retrieved from susanwiggs.com on Sep.9, 2018.
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Schrembi, N. (2018). "Module 3: Supporting Learners through the Library: Cultivating Life-Long Reading Habits." [course notes] Retrieved from https://canvas.ubc.ca/courses/14652/pages/module-3-supporting-learners-through-the-library-cultivating-life-long-reading-habits?module_item_id=576461 on Sep.9, 2018.
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