A School’s Faculty That Reads Helps Make Reading a Priority in
Young
People’s Lives
by Jack Humphrey
A school seeking to build a community of readers has a faculty
whose members serve as role models to ensure that reading is a priority in
their students’ lives. These faculty members read and discuss books.
Their interest in books has a positive influence upon the students as
they daily observe their teachers, librarians, and principals.
Schools throughout Indiana have built up faculty reading due to the
motivational work of past and present faculty members.
Usually one person has stimulated reading by colleagues who, in turn,
produced the resources and effort that resulted in a good climate for faculty
reading. They realize that adults
as well as students are more apt to read a book recommended by a friend.
Several years ago Aldo Cardarelli of the University of Southern Indiana
developed a program called Teachers Under Cover that was adopted in middle
grades schools throughout Indiana. At
the conclusion of the faculty reading project, 59 teams with over 400
participants were involved in an evaluation of the program.
When asked to identify the single most important outcome of faculty
reading, 43 percent of the members listed collegiality and the fostering of
camaraderie among members, 34 percent identified the enjoyment of and the
opportunity for reading as most important, and 20 percent indicated that the
program provided the opportunity to read books they would not ordinarily have
read.
Just as students are attracted to new school library books, evidenced
by increased circulation when schools add new books, faculty will read when
books are available and promoted. The
following are some methods used by Indiana schools to promote books and make
them accessible to faculty:
Faculty
members donate books they enjoyed reading to a school collection that is
located in an accessible area, such as the teachers’ lounge.
The school library provides books for faculty.
Eden Kuhlenschmidt, librarian at River Valley Middle School in
Jeffersonville, maintains a collection of current books for use by the
faculty. She regularly adds new
books, and they are read by the faculty.
Faculty
meetings are held at a local book-store where current bestsellers are
reviewed.
Display cases or bulletin boards highlight members of the
faculty and their favorite books.
Photos are taken of various faculty members reading books.
These pictures are enlarged to poster size and displayed in areas
with heavy traffic of students and parents.
The student-run bookshop at Owen Valley Middle School in Spencer
orders books for faculty members and provides a generous discount.
Faculty members draw names for holiday gifts and then purchase
books that they believe their selected individuals will enjoy.
The following are some suggestions for book groups:
When to meet.
Many groups meet once a month. Some
meet at 4:30 p.m., discuss the book, decide on the next book and date, and
eat dinner about 6 p.m.
Where to meet. Some
groups may choose to meet in the school library. Other groups will want to
meet at members’ homes or in a restaurant. Most restaurants are not busy at 4:30 p.m., so that is a good
time to have a discussion that can be followed by a meal.
Occasionally, groups meet at a local bookstore or public library to
review books available.
How to select books. One method is to rotate the selection of books by members of the group. Each, in turn, is responsible for the book that will be read and discussed. Some review several titles with the group before a decision is made.
How to find books. The local public library will have most of the titles, although bestsellers are difficult to find, especially copies for all members of the group. Many bookstores provide discounts for faculty members. The Internet has several Web sites that list bestsellers and provide book reviews.
How to conduct meetings. The
person responsible for the selection of the book prepares the questions and
leads the discussion. The
questions may be provided at the time the book is selected, mailed ahead of
time to members, or handed out at the beginning of the discussion.