My small town is growing in leaps and bounds, and as it does, the diversity increases. My school boundaries range from our downtown, walkable area with parks and sidewalks and occasional sightings of the "town deer" nibbling on flowering plants, all the way to our rural kids, raising sheep or cows, struggling to access consistent wi-fi, and finding creative ways to connect with friends despite the distance.
These curious, thoughtful, interesting students love to read and are eager to learn more about their community, even as it changes.
As my District grows, they are working to adapt to Lucy Caulkins' model of giving kids more choices of what to read even as we find new books that allow everyone to see themselves represented in the literature. So far, my students have had one round of this "Book Club" model and are eager for the next one! To be given choice, to be treated like adults while in middle school, and to enter the world of others' lived experiences is an alluring strategy for helping everyone find commonalities, learn to appreciate differences, and find empathy for one another.
My Project
When adults read, they choose what book to read, and will often gather with a group of like-minded friends to discuss the book in depth. Rather than choose a single book and make the whole class read it, my students will be given the choice of novels to read as well as a group of friends to discuss it with. They can find a book with a character that has similarities to their own life, or find a book about someone whose life is totally different from their own.
Reading can give a delightful escape from our own lives even as we gain empathy and insight into the experiences of others.
This book club unit will provide the books I need to help offer the empowerment of choice to my students.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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