A Love of Literacy and Creating Life Long Readers
In a culture of cell phones, tablets, Netflix, video games, and around the clock technology connection we are having a hard time as educators to engage our students with a good book. We are competing with fast technology, immediate response through apps and messaging causing our lesson delivery and application of learning to be a continuing challenge.
How do we create a culture in our schools that slows down from instant messaging to reading and thinking about books in an authentic way that pushes our students to grow as readers.
When parents walk into your school, library and classroom do they immediately know that reading and literacy is a passion for you and your school?
My name is Tiffany Williams and I am a PreK- 2nd grade Library Media Specialist from Arkansas. I have a passion for creating a culture of reading in my school that implements a shift in reading that lays the foundation for growing lifelong readers. If it is going to be a true “culture of reading”, if it is only taking place in one classroom but starting when students, teachers and parents walk through that front door and can feel it in the entire school.
What are the top 3 things it takes to begin growing a culture of reading in your school?
- Teachers who read, love books and have a passion to share stories and their love of reading with their students.
- An administration that sets reading and books as a top priority.
- A Librarian who wants students checking out books constantly and who works to collaborate with teachers and families for the students.
I will be sharing tips and fun ways to create a culture of reading. One of the most important steps from the very beginning of working to create life long readers is to model a love of reading. Your students must know that you love to read! They must see the books that you read and listen to you passionately talk about what your reading. My students love to see what I post outside our school library that I am reading as well as what their teachers post they are reading outside their classroom doors.
Teachers have used their currently reading posters outside their classroom door or inside their room in a literacy focused space to spur conversation with their students and create authentic relationships around the books they are reading…laying the beginning building blocks for students to listen, trust and begin the steps to falling in love with reading. Check out my editable Currently Reading posters here.
I am excited you took the time to read more about creating a culture of reading! I firmly believe the best professional development out there is learning from each other. We are truly better together.
Now it’s time to learn more fantastic Back To School Tips and Fun. Head over to The Library Patch next! I hope you enjoy learning from so many passionate educators. Thanks for checking out TeachingwithTiff. Don’t forget to enter our Rafflecopter