Fostering a Reading Culture in My School

         Creating a reading culture has been a big focus since I started my role as teacher-librarian.   Since there was so much to learn about being a TL and I knew so little this was something that I could start making improvements upon immediately since I had done a lot of literacy activities as a classroom teacher.  I’m always on the lookout for new activities and once again I got swept away for hours searching online for different types of activities to promote reading. Getting students excited about reading truly is the best part of being a TL!

         

        When thinking about what I have done or plan on doing to create a culture of reading there were so many aspects to think about in terms of the library and throughout the school.  After finding a great website by the New Zealand NationalLibrary, I decided to organize my thoughts similarly using these categories: reading friendly environment in the library, school-wide reading culture, student reading interests, reader friendly policies in the library, school staff as readers and boys and reading.   I have tried to highlight my successes and goals in each category.

               

Reading Friendly Environment

It is so important for students to feel comfortable coming to the library.  It’s much easier to create a warm and inviting library if the space is properly organized and appealing.  When I first started at my current school the library environment was lacking in personality and warmth.  I have managed to make a few changes but I still have much more to do.

Success:

• Added colourful carpets, posters and cushions
• Created a reading nook
• Added low shelving for younger students
• Open most days after school and during the lunch hour

Challenges and Goals:

• There are plans to expand the library in the near future and I hope to continue creating a reading friendly environment with more nooks and comfortable seating. 
• Rearranging the shelves will also help open up the space and improve sight lines.
• I also need to work on better signage so that students can find their way around the sections
• Create interesting displays to showcase books and themes

School-wide Reading Culture

Creating a reading culture should not be exclusive to the library.  All classroom teachers and administration should be encouraged and take part in activities to promote reading.

Success:

• Reading for pleasure- All classroom teachers have structured reading activities and evaluations however they also strongly encourage reading for pleasure on a daily basis.
• Host successful book fairs
• Special literacy activities such as decorate the classroom doors based on a book, new word day, poem in your pocket day, literary dress-up day
• Author visits- We invited Eric Wilson to come and I cannot believe the buzz that it created.  For about 3-4 months students were fighting to take out his books.  His books were especially appealing for the reluctant boy readers.
• Author studies
• Readers are Leaders- Similar to Battle of the Books. It is a trivia type competition open to grades 5-7.  TLs in the Catholic School system select 6 books from the Red Cedar nominations and students try to read as many books as they can over a 3 month period and then they participate in the competition.  
• DEAR
• Poetry Month in April
• Primary classes use the same leveled reading program in class
• A nice selection of guided reading books for all grades
• Using Daily 5 as a way organize literacy periods
• Supportive admin- open for any kind of suggestions and activities

Challenges and Goals:

• To have a mix of activities that are ongoing and not only a single day
• Read alouds by different staff members- I started reading the Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease  and I have been inspired to encourage more read alouds.
• Family literacy activities
• Incorporate more technology in school activities

Student Reading Interests

Making sure that students have a varied selection of books that they are interested in is a major factor in having a library that is frequently visited by all students.

Success:

• Have a student wish list that I am constantly ordering from and I make sure to reserve the book for the student that recommended the book
• Trying to be aware of what kind of books students are reading and what is new and popular.  Students are often happy to find a new book that has a long wait list at their local public library.

Challenges and Goals:

• Finding a way for students to stay interested in reading French books in older grades
• Buy books that are appealing to all students and to have more cultures represented in my book purchases

Reader Friendly Policies

This is something that I struggle with on a regular basis since being a TL.  I’m constantly having internal battles between the literacy teacher inside of me who wants students to take out “just right books” and the TL inside of me who wants to encourage students to choose any book they want so that they enjoy what they read even if I know it is definitely not at their level.  This is an even bigger problem in French Immersion since it is very difficult finding books that are not too difficult for students to read but are still interesting. I’m currently encouraging students to take out one book that is roughly at their reading level and the other book can be any book.  I would also like to start encouraging parents to come and take out books before or after school.  This would hopefully be a way for parents to become more involved in what their children are reading and encourage more reading at home.

School Staff as Readers

It is so important for teachers to model that they are also readers.  If they are not readers than it is important for them to rediscover books and not just textbooks!  I like the idea of having signs for each teacher to indicate what they are currently reading.  I would also like to encourage teachers to read books during silent reading instead of marking or prepping for their lessons.

Boys and Reading

Before I became a TL I was a primary teacher for 8 years.  All my students loved going to the library and they always left excited about a book they had chosen.  One of the biggest shocks for me was to see the boys in the intermediate grades have very little interest in reading.  Every year I put aside a decent amount of my budget to purchase books specifically targeting boys.  I have noticed many of the boys that were always getting Garfield or Tintin comic books are starting to explore other books and becoming excited about choosing books or looking for the next book in the series.

Success:

• Last few years it has been a focus of mine to purchase books that will interest boys.
• I also try to read or become familiar with books that I think boys will enjoy because they ask more often than girls for suggestions

Challenges and Goals:

• Highlight the books for boys on shelves to make it even easier.
• When purchasing books for boys buy more non-fiction books since they tend to enjoy these books more than girls

This post is longer than I had intended but I found it very useful to take the time and to really think about what I’m doing and what still needs to be done in the library and throughout the school.  There really is nothing more important than making sure that students develop a love for reading.  My main goal and hope as a TL is to have every student discover that amazing book that will change how they see books.

Resources and Inspiration:

"Creating a Reading Culture - Hands on Literacy Conference Nov 2012." Slideshare. Web. http://www.slideshare.net/SusanLaMarca/creating-a-reading-culture-hands-on-literacy-conference-nov-2012.

"Creating Readers." National Library of New Zealand- Services to Schools. Web. http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/creating-readers.

"Getting Boys Hooked on Reading: How Can Digital Media Help?" Reading Rockets. Web. http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/55245  

Philpot, Chelsey. "How to Create a Culture of Reading." School Library Journal. 25 Nov. 2013. Web. http://www.slj.com/2013/11/events/ala-conferences/how-to-create-a-culture-of-reading-aasl-2013/#.