Jul 07 2009 04:36 pm
Posted by Rachel under Uncategorized
Intervention Book Club
“Our aim is to improve students’ ability to respond to literature and heighten students’ ownership or reading”
-Torry H. Montes and Kathyrn H. Au
As a reading teacher, who has had these same goals for your students? I know that I have! We want them to respond to reading , discuss what they read and feel like readers, right? I know I do!
Authors Montes and Au found a great solution by using a Book Club in a fourth-grade classroom. Founded upon, Rosenblatt’s reader response theory, Au and Montes cultivated a classroom in which the aesthetic stance for reading in paramount. The authors creates an ideal reading setting to help these students view themselves as reader and also to think critically about a book.
Here’s how they did it…
1. They used high-quality literature: literature that contained pertinent issue and real-world fourth grader concerns.
2. They encourgage and modeled writing a response to literature that could be either “personal, creative or critical.”
3. Their Book Clubs consisted of student-direction in small groups with authentic book conversations.
4. The teacher also led “community shares” about the books.
5. The teacher modeled and showed the students how to be in a Book Club.
Sound easy enough? They had tremendous success! Give it a try and
ekowalsk on 08 Jul 2009 at 8:39 pm #
That sounds really motivating for the students. I also think that it creates such a great classroom environment. I would love to see these book clubs in action in the upper elementary grades at my school as well!
ashbrewer on 09 Jul 2009 at 12:57 pm #
Motivation, as we’ve learned, can make or break a student in upper elementary and through middle and high school. It’s great to see a teacher using something that builds a positive perception of reading, and promotes higher level thinking, as well as giving the students ownership! Did the students pick their groups? If so, did they pick the books and/or who was in the group? I would like to work on literature circles and book clubs with the upper elementary teachers at my school. Has anyone used literature circles in their classrooms? What was it like?
Rachel on 13 Jul 2009 at 1:42 pm #
I have use literature circles in my classroom. They work really well and are extremely motivating. I have allowed the students to choose the texts that interest them, giving ownership in the text as well as motivation. They essentially picked the groups most of the time… however, you know that sometimes the teacher has to make them “think” that they have chosen the groups. I also have chosen certain roles for students, based on their personal needs. Bottom line: you have to do what works for you and best suits your students’ learning needs- but isn’t that what a teacher does any way?
Maryann on 15 Jul 2009 at 10:56 am #
Our book Bright Beginnings for Boys also discussed the benefit of book club for boys. I think it would great to give students time for recreational reading in school based book clubs. I think you could run a book club similar to a literature circle.
Have any of you had experience with book clubs? I would think that the librarian would be a great resource as well. I believe our librarian would love to run a book club. What are your thoughts on this?
Rachel on 19 Jul 2009 at 5:16 pm #
I haven’t tried the book club idea with my students, but I think it would be great. The librarian would be a great resource. This past year my school did an after school book club, but it would be great to see it during the regular school day as well.
mdurfee on 20 Jul 2009 at 6:24 pm #
My school did book clubs during lunch-which did not seem like the best time to me, but students loved it!