Over the last few weeks, I've been mulling over several challenges that I wasn't sure how to deal with:
First, how am I going to keep track of the books? I don't want to make the students do anything too elaborate, or I'm afraid they won't try out the books. But, I don't want the books to just walk away so that I don't have any left after a few months, either. I was hoping to find some ideas on line, but most of the ones I found just seemed too clunky or complicated. About the only good idea I saw was to write my name in black Sharpie on the outside of the book so that it will come back to me if someone loses it at school. I'm definitely going to do that - but that didn't help with my decision about how to check them out.
Second, I want some kind of sticker in each book that points the students to other books once they've finished that book. I often find books from similar apps on Amazon and PaperBackSwap. It's just so handy to find a fast list of similar books by the same or different authors and keep feeding that reading addiction! I can get the information to put on the stickers pretty easily, online. But, I don't want a big sticker obscuring the information in the book - it annoys me when libraries do this, and I'm concerned that if they can't read the description of the book, the students won't bother to try it out.
Finally, I would like an easy way for students to recommend books to other students. From what I've read about classroom libraries in high school classes, this is an important part of the dynamic. Students are more likely to read a book if another student has recommended it than if the teacher has (of course). Plus, it will give me important information about which books to keep on the shelf and which should be moved to a new home. But, unless I'm teaching English, I can't justify spending a bunch of time on book talks or similar ideas. Also, I don't want to inadvertently create penalties for the students who actually read the books by making them do extra work once they've finished it.
First, how am I going to keep track of the books? I don't want to make the students do anything too elaborate, or I'm afraid they won't try out the books. But, I don't want the books to just walk away so that I don't have any left after a few months, either. I was hoping to find some ideas on line, but most of the ones I found just seemed too clunky or complicated. About the only good idea I saw was to write my name in black Sharpie on the outside of the book so that it will come back to me if someone loses it at school. I'm definitely going to do that - but that didn't help with my decision about how to check them out.
Second, I want some kind of sticker in each book that points the students to other books once they've finished that book. I often find books from similar apps on Amazon and PaperBackSwap. It's just so handy to find a fast list of similar books by the same or different authors and keep feeding that reading addiction! I can get the information to put on the stickers pretty easily, online. But, I don't want a big sticker obscuring the information in the book - it annoys me when libraries do this, and I'm concerned that if they can't read the description of the book, the students won't bother to try it out.
Finally, I would like an easy way for students to recommend books to other students. From what I've read about classroom libraries in high school classes, this is an important part of the dynamic. Students are more likely to read a book if another student has recommended it than if the teacher has (of course). Plus, it will give me important information about which books to keep on the shelf and which should be moved to a new home. But, unless I'm teaching English, I can't justify spending a bunch of time on book talks or similar ideas. Also, I don't want to inadvertently create penalties for the students who actually read the books by making them do extra work once they've finished it.
So, I've been turning all these ideas around in my head and suddenly came up with a solution (I love it when that happens!) I'm going to try to create a card for each book, one that's larger than the typical paperback book. When the book's on the shelf in my classroom, the card will be in the book (and probably sticking out at little, so that it can be seen). When students want to take the book, they fill in their name on the card and leave it on the shelf -- it won't take much effort on their part, but I'll know who had it last, if I need to retrieve it (and the students will know I have the information, too, so they might be more likely to bring it back). One problem solved!
To deal with the next challenge, the card will also have a sticker with "If you liked this book, try . . . " on it, with suggestions for future reading. Because it's on a separate card, it won't cover up anything in the book, and I'll have plenty of space for any information I want to include. I'm even hoping to be able to add pictures of the suggested books, to keep the students interested. Another one down!
But, I'm not finished, yet, because the card will also have a space where the student gives the book a "Thumbs Up" or "Thumbs Down" when they return it (next to their name from when they checked it out). That will create a record of who liked the book, hopefully pulling in some other students who think if this kid liked it, they will, too. And, I can check this record to see if the book is meeting with approval or should be replaced. But, it won't take enough effort to deter the student who read it from giving an opinion. I'm so excited about my solution!
Sorry to gush about something so simple, but I was really happy to solve all my problems at once! Now, I just need to actually make the form for the cards.
To deal with the next challenge, the card will also have a sticker with "If you liked this book, try . . . " on it, with suggestions for future reading. Because it's on a separate card, it won't cover up anything in the book, and I'll have plenty of space for any information I want to include. I'm even hoping to be able to add pictures of the suggested books, to keep the students interested. Another one down!
But, I'm not finished, yet, because the card will also have a space where the student gives the book a "Thumbs Up" or "Thumbs Down" when they return it (next to their name from when they checked it out). That will create a record of who liked the book, hopefully pulling in some other students who think if this kid liked it, they will, too. And, I can check this record to see if the book is meeting with approval or should be replaced. But, it won't take enough effort to deter the student who read it from giving an opinion. I'm so excited about my solution!
Sorry to gush about something so simple, but I was really happy to solve all my problems at once! Now, I just need to actually make the form for the cards.