Creating a Culture of Literacy
Shari Frost
My in-laws really love sports. My nephews spent their entire infancies in onesies emblazoned with professional team logos. As soon as they were old enough to get out of their strollers, they were playing peewee football. That was followed by high school football a decade or so later. When the oldest nephew got married, his bride presented him with a gift of boudoir photographs. In one of them, which I think is his favorite, she's wearing a Walter Payton jersey. Their dogs have been named Ranger, Dodger, and Devin (after Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears). One of my nephews is named Jordan! If you drop by on a Sunday afternoon, just be prepared to sit through whatever game is on television. In short, after spending even the briefest amount of time with my in-laws, you know how much they love sports and how important it is to them.
How do sports fans develop that undying devotion and fanaticism? Can it be replicated? Is it possible for students to have the same level of enthusiasm for reading and writing? What can we do to make students want to name their dogs after authors or book characters? Will children ever paint their faces yellow and blue to show how much they love the book Little Blue and Little Yellow (Lionni, 1958)? Well, that might be too much to hope for. But there are schools out there that work hard to create a culture of literacy. Here are some things that they have done.
"Currently Reading" Posters
In one of my favorite middle schools, every student has a sign on his/her locker. The sign says, "________ (insert name here) is currently reading . . ." followed by a color copy of the book's cover. When you walk through the halls, you get a very good idea of which books are hot with teen and preteen readers. The display of "Currently Reading" posters has multiple benefits. First of all, it proudly proclaims, "We are readers." Think of it as a team banner. Another benefit is that it taps right into the peer relations/peer pressure issue, which becomes really important to students when they reach middle school. If almost everyone in the school is reading The Hunger Games (Collins, 2008), the other students are more likely to seek out the book. The popularity of this particular book among students even motivated me to read it. The librarian uses the information on the "Currently Reading" posters to make further recommendations to students. For example, she might say, "If you like The Hunger Games, you are going to love . . .," which keeps the students reading. It also lets her know that she had better get in some copies of Catching Fire (Collins, 2009) because as soon as they finish the first book, they'll be looking for the next one. Teachers use this information to support instruction. An eighth-grade teacher reported that her students enthusiastically made connections between The Hunger Games and The Lottery (Jackson, 1948).
One Book, One School
This idea is featured in the current copy of Reading Today. Every person in the school is invited to read the same book. How can this be done? Select a book with wide appeal written at the level of the median grade in the school. The book is read aloud to students in younger grades. The book selected in the Reading Today article is James and the Giant Peach (Dahl, 1961). During the reading of the book, students are engaged in discussions, performances, and a plethora of book related activities. I know schools that make a "One Book, One School" selection every year. You'll need as many copies of the book as you can get your hands on. Get extra copies of other books by the same author, too. What a great way to build community!
Books Instead of Cupcakes
When my children were in elementary school, they would bring cupcakes to school to celebrate their birthdays. In some schools today, the cupcakes have been replaced with books. At Norwood Park School in Chicago, prior to the big day, each child receives an invitation to become a member of the "Birthday Book Club." For a monetary donation of any amount, the child can select a book to contribute to the school library. After the selection is made, a bookplate is affixed to the inside cover. The bookplate says, "This book was donated to the Norwood Park School Library in celebration of Suzie's 8th birthday." The bookplate is also dated. Then the librarian takes a snapshot of the child holding the book. The pictures are posted on a prominent bulletin board in the first floor corridor right across from the main entrance. The librarian reads aloud the new book to the birthday boy/girl's class and s/he is the first person to check out the book. A list of all birthday celebrants along with their book titles appears in the school's monthly newsletter. Birthday Book Club is a win-win program. It promotes reading, publicizes new books, and keeps the school library stocked with new books. Since no specific amount is designated for the donation, everyone can participate. While one family may be able to donate only a dollar, another family donates $25.00. The Birthday Book Club is all the rage at Norwood Park School. Birthday Book Club books have a significantly higher circulation than other books in the library's collection.
Greenbriar School in Northbrook, Illinois also celebrates birthdays with books. Every morning after the pledge, the names of the students who are having a birthday are announced on the intercom. The birthday boys and girls are invited to come to the school office to select a new book as a birthday gift.
READ Posters
The American Library Association has a series of posters featuring a celebrity holding a book. The poster has one word - "READ." One school has adapted the READ poster idea to apply more specifically to their school. Their posters feature local celebrities (the mayor, a local professional athlete, the crossing guard, the manager of a popular local ice cream parlor, etc.) and authors who have visited the school. The students get the message that these important people in their community are readers. These posters are displayed throughout the school. A student cannot walk down the hall without encountering the message, "READ."
Family Reading Nights
Many elementary schools designate 1-3 evenings during the school year as "Family Reading Night." After dinner, mothers, fathers, and children return to school for an hour or two of book-related fun. Activities may include listening to scary stories being read aloud in a darkened room, read alouds by local celebrity readers, learning a new craft using a how-to book, puppet shows, book swaps, and library card sign-up. The evening often culminates with everyone gathering in the auditorium for some kind of performance (storyteller, play, etc.) and refreshments. Most schools are very strict about admitting students only if they are accompanied by their parents.
All School "Drop Everything and Read"
Just imagine every single person in the school building reading. This includes all the students, the lunch lady, the kindergartners, the P.E. teacher, the janitor, the school nurse and secretary, the principal - everyone. This idea is practically free, and it takes almost no time and very little organization. Make sure everyone has a book. Select a time that doesn't interfere with lunch, recess, or physical education classes. I have noticed that those days when school is dismissed early for professional development work well. "All School Drop Everything and Read" does take buy-in. If one class is doing long division instead of reading, if one teacher is marking papers, if one teacher's assistant is making copies, it doesn't work. The reading time doesn't have to last for hours - about 20 minutes is sufficient.
What are you doing to create a culture of literacy in your school?
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Jennifer Allen
