NEIT+2017+-+Open+Space+4+Lake+Lounge

NEIT 2017 - Open Space 4 Lake Lounge

Bethany (Dwight) convened session because as kids get older tend to read less; for a lot of reasons, ie... have more going on

What is value in it?
 * Empathy
 * Experience world, learn about it

How do we work to keep kids reading? How do we make it a community value? Even if kids weren’t with us in PS or MS, see that we are a community of readers

Just becuase they’re not visiting library or borrowing books, doesn’t mean they aren’t reading; then how do we make this a community value, especially when it doesn’t go through library

Gwen recommended Born Reading

Ingrid has hallway libraries; avatar of teacher (we me) with a short recommendation for a book; making hallway library as nice as possible while trying to get them into library

Susan has noticed a big difference between MS and US; MS still has time and desire to do outside reading

Jill absolutely see the lack of time, etc, but it also paralells how we’re framing reading in school from MS to US (lots of choice and time to read to no choice and all reading on own)

Ingrid big switch between 6 & 7 grade shift from independent reading time and credit (ie homework grade for recommending books they’re reading to others) to a bigger line up of what you have to read and less of the “credit” for what they’re doing as independent readers

Jeff, does assigning credit to things surrounding independent reading take away from how we want to get them to be lifelong readers/learners

Ingrid’s observations are that it still feels pretty independent; kids seem to be able to distinguish between high choice and low choice

Bethany talking to Karyn Silverman about her program with 9th graders Read, Respond, Review (tied with English class) … over course of year have to read five books and write goodreads reviews for each so total can give you 10% of your English grade; each of assignments is meant to build on community you’re sharing with
 * 1) Class 2) whole school 3) goodreads

Bethany is going to try this with 9th graders next year with two books; playing with idea of extrinsic motivation spurring intrinsic motivation (at Dwight shift in summer reading from lots of choice to almost no choice or just choice between a few books that you’ll slog through) Upper School is about we have to cover material and analyze things wherease middle school is more about skills and becoming readers and there’s a sharp divide

Ingrid was at Public School; her collection development very different; in 7/8th grade things get very stressful as kids apply to high school; urging books on self care; English teachers are taking care of changing them and she wants them to know you can use a book for anything

Jill -- important to establish library’s stance on reading in early years; a lot of different purposes of reading (read up and down and for different purposes)

Lauren - yes reading is about empathy; its also about taking a break and escapist. Lauren tries to find a student each year to run a book discussion club. It’s all about them and what they want. We’ll buy you the books; they’re yours to keep.

Bethany -- reading as a really effective stress reducer (some studies show more so than exercise)

NYT Barack Obama read to deal with stress at end of day

Emily -- acknowledging differing levels of commitment to reading; some “eat books” and others read because you have to read and we know it’s not your first choice and talk about our goals, is a great place to begin; we’re all in different places in our relationship to reading

Lauren - having books everywhere; easy access

Ingrid - benefit to classroom and hallway libraries where they can take whatever they want and go without having to worry about judgement of librarian checking book out to you; has a currently reading / just finished bulletin board

Susan - so important to model and give them permission to read something totally relaxing; also ok to step back and read something you’ve always wanted to read; help them not feel like everything they do has to be resume building or impressive

Eve - speed reading; always put emphasis on enjoying rather than accomplishing; parents fostering competition and working contrary to our goals

We really want immersive reading where you’re able to imagine; play with voices in your head; achieve that flow; “it was like i was watching a movie” this only happens when the work of reading isn’t what you’re focused on and

...what you might be judged on (Amy is seeing it become one more thing in the new independent reading requirement)

Lauren had a summer reading blog for faculty and staff; making sure we all know we can take breaks; also has book discussions with parents

Eve made a bulletin board so people could anonymously write what they’d read over break

Jeff made display of what all the new teachers read over the summer; modeling

Emily … every teacher’s classroom in upper school has an “i am reading…” sign outside of their classroom

Lauren’s parent book club picks books with diverse group of books and writers; runs in conjunction with community life group; has food and wine; more about community building vs. reading per se; sort of a one school, one book; all about being public, out there, low key, low pressure

Gwen: Faculty/staff book club that’s been growing over the years 2-3 / year they rsvp and come to dinner (with wine); but then the conversation spills over into hallways conversations that students hear and see

Overdrive … Gwen sends to parents before break

Bethany uses it when they’re researching and we don’t have it for instant gratifcation vs. waiting 2-3 days; will buy anything that's new, summer reading lists, buy a little bit each year

let them borrow print over the summer

self checkouts; don't worry about attritions

bookmark with sensitive topic deweys for kids so they don't have to ask

use chrome book for self checkout (bethany) destiny has a self checkout option you can set up; but wants kids to check out via student ID rather than name so can't check out to other kids

jeff mentioned privacy issue and lauren grappling with giving kids access who look at other kids stuff; do parents have a right to know what kids are checking out; in a school setting you're acting in loco parentis, what does that mean when a kid doesn't want kid checking out book

do you do overdues? Susan just says you have an overdue books. do away with overdues totally for ever and ever, right before summer break do at end of year to get books back. many schools don't charge for lost books''

can we take the titles out in destiny? keep in when send to kids and then just sent e-mail to parents.

putting $ on overdue sometimes spurs kids

who pays up and who doesn't (on scholarship tend to pay and those with means not)

about learning accountability; teaching wealthiest students about shared resources and taking care of other peoples' things

always stress these are not "my books" and why we try to return them