Saturday, October 16, 2010

Reader's Advisory?

How do you practice Reader's Advisory?  Do you do regular book talks with classes?  Write a blog or a column for your library?  One to one at reader's point of need?  Even all of the above.  Is what you do effective, or are you looking for a change?  I do most of the things listed, and I like to, but what I am noticing now is that my students are beginning to do their own Reader's Advisory.  There are more conversations in the stacks, many more students bringing back books saying, so and so wants this book when I return it, and even more students offering me suggestions of books to purchase!  What is causing this change?  Maybe it is because I offered my intermediate teachers a chance to provide their students with book stacks, a supply of a great variety of books to stretch and broaden each student's reading diet.  Each class visited, and after a talk by me about trying new things, suggestions, and encouragement, the students took the time to make individual choices.  Each stack needed to be approved by myself or the teacher, mostly to be sure they were trying something new, not The Lightning Thief for the third time!  The first time we did this, alot of the books came back within a week, but we met again and talked some more about what we, the reader, wanted from our book choices. These books were checked out to the teacher, to be kept in class, so the students could still check out those favorites on their own card to take home and read again.  Now, conversations are happening, informal book groups are forming, and students are reading what they are checking out!
Have you tried something new that is working for your students?  Tell me about it.

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