‘They need to read the classics.’

Do they? Really? I often wonder what would happen if we did free choice reading throughout school. I’ve lost count of the number of students who have admitted, sometimes sheepishly, that they completed an assignment without reading the assigned text, and I just want to say, me too, kid, me too… (never at uni, though (promise!))!

In 2016, I was involved in an Action Research Project where I reflected upon my effectiveness as an English teacher and engaged in research to better support my students with reading and writing in the classroom. It was in the initial stages of the project that I was introduced to the work of Nancie Atwell who writes on the power of reading workshop and student choice of reading material (2015). On this controversial topic Atwell has penned countless articles, published books, and in 1990 she actually started a school which focused on the explicit teaching of the skills of writing and reading, but the main tenant, underpinning the success of the students who attend the school, is student choice of what to write, and what to read (Center for Teaching and Learning [CTL], n.d., para. 4). The notion of reading for pleasure in the classroom fits so perfectly with the work of Fiske (2010, p. 44) and his discussion of the ‘everyday pleasure’ of popular culture, and Johnson’s (2005, p. 14) reiteration of the inherent value of popular culture.

Reading is a highly personal undertaking and crucial to the development of literacy skills, and yet, so often the preferred method of ‘reading’ at school is students borrowing a teacher-chosen-class-novel, reading a chapter at a time while completing comprehension questions, and then writing a literary essay. And we wonder why students don’t read for pleasure outside of school? It seems as if we pin our desperate hopes – for that single assigned novel, in its shining glory of literary value, textual integrity, and all those gosh darn beautiful metaphors, to suddenly metamorphize our non-reading students into the literati. Wilhelm (2016, p. 31) will attest, that ignoring the link between pleasure and motivation is, and this won’t come as a shock to anyone who has tried to force someone to read something, not very helpful in creating readers.

The common reality in schools is that students’ self-determinacy is very low on the list of priorities and there are many reasons for this, there is a  syllabus to teach, accountability measures, assessment for, of, and as learning, literacy targets, etc. etc. but it really is possible and I am with Wilhelm (2016, p. 32) here, imperative, to prioritise pleasure when it comes to reading (I would also argue the same for writing, but that’s an idea for another post!). I changed my perspective on the ‘class novel’ after reading In the Middle (Atwell, 2015) and realised there were other ways to do things, and so, where I could, I made changes and one of those changes was the ‘class novel’. Some students enjoy the practice of laboriously poring over a single text, and I also find it riveting, but when teaching I am always desperately hoping all 30-students, from wildly different backgrounds, with a range of convictions, hopes, and dreams I would likely never comprehend (as someone several decades older than them) will like the book I chose from the book room that was the best of the three options left, and, there were 30-copies, in reasonable condition.

This approach doesn’t inspire much joy, and it doesn’t create a culture of reading and this is where things start to fester – reading brings pleasure, sure, but it also counters social disadvantage, and offers a way to engage in the discourses of the wider world (Wilhelm, 2016, pp. 32-33). There is an idea that if students engage with the canon they will forever be changed by the power of literature and will acknowledge the immense possibilities offered by the written word and they will be readers henceforth, and that anything in the realm of popular culture is a waste (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33).  It is perhaps like eating ice-cream for dinner—delicious but not something any self-respecting grown up would do (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33). I would argue, though, that secretly we do sometimes want ice-cream for dinner and the abandoning of the rules and structures, to do something that is fun and pleasurable is a delight and important, but even this is a false equivalency as reading a young adult novel isn’t the ‘ice-cream’ of the literature food pyramid, reading is reading, and inherently valuable (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 37). If we stick with the ice-cream metaphor, we’ve missed the point, and we fall into the Arnoldian territory of placing a value judgement on stories that appeal to young people, diverse voices that might not otherwise be heard, an interaction between our students and the expression of our world’s cultures as they stand, today (Takacs, 2014, p. 2). Is it not a highly sophisticated undertaking, and therefore valuable, to read contemporary stories that innately, regardless of intention, offer some insight into society as it is (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33)? 

The act of reading in school could be seen as a nudge to high culture and this is often cemented by the teacher’s choice of text, so many students therefore, rebel against the pressure to read as it is not a pursuit that provides them with value (Fiske, 2010, p. 46). So why do we take an ‘Eat your vegetables!’ stance on reading and glorify the classics when this practice does not foster a love of reading? We understand that reading is wildly beneficial – published texts have been written, edited, and revised but a little bit of that moral panic creeps in and those young adult texts go right out the window (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 33; Johnson, 2005, p. 14). An English writing lesson your student may have experienced or you may have taught is ‘write what you know’ which I take to mean that one’s experiences ground the writing and allow the exploration of the unknown, and I think this is a great way to think about reading – let students ‘read what they know’ and they will learn more and more and their reading world will open before them (Wilhelm, 2016, p. 37).

Here are some fabulous resources on reading:

‘Raising Readers’ by Megan Daley

‘How to Raise a Reader’ by Pamela Paul

Your Kid’s Next Read with Megan Daley and Allison Tait

Center for Teaching and Learning Reading List

Book Suggestions - Year 7/Year 8

Challenge Card (below)

Here are some questions you could ask to generate conversation about YA novels:

1. What is the last YA book that you read? What would you rate it out of 10 and who would you recommend it to?
2. Who is your favourite YA author?
3. What makes a novel suited for a young adult audience?
4. What is your favourite type of story to read within the overarching genre of YA?
5. Do you think YA is as important as say, classic literature? Why or why not?
6. Do you think YA is valued by peers/teachers/parents/society? Why/why not?
7. Where do you find out about new YA books?
8. Do you prefer one off titles or series?
9. Do you have an all-time favourite YA book? What would you rate it out of 10 and who would you recommend it to?
10. Where do you access most of your books?
11. Are you interested in trying books outside those aimed at a young adult audience?
12. Have you ever re-read a YA book?
13. Have you or would you ever consider listening to a YA audiobook? Why/why not?
14. If you were to write a YA book, what would it be about?
15. If you were to adapt your favourite YA book for the screen, which actors would play each of the characters?

Reference List

Atwell, N. (2015). In the Middle. Heinemann. 

Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). About CTL. http://c-t-l.org/about-ctl/ 

Fiske, J. (2010). Understanding Popular Culture. Routledge.

Johnson, S. (2005). Everything Bad Is Good For You: How Today’s Popular Culture Is Actually Making Us Smarter. Riverhead Books.

Takacs, T. (2015). Interrogating Popular Culture: Key Questions. Routledge.

Wilhelm, J. D. (2016). Recognising the power of pleasure: What engaged adolescent readers get from their free-choice reading, and how teachers can leverage this for all. Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 39(2), pp. 30-41.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Reading Challenge by Kira Bryant

A term in the life of a new Teacher Librarian

A change of workplace is always a whirlwind. I am definitely out of my comfort zone in my new role as Teacher Librarian! I intended to keep a log of what happened week by week but it has mostly been me figuring out school systems and finding my place so I have revised my plan and have created an overview of the term.

My contributions have been focused on expanding what already happens in the school library. Instead of taking over existing things I am beginning new things or spending more time where there wasn't any time previously. Here are some of the things I have been working on over the last nine weeks:

Role Statement - I am in a very unique situation to be joining the first Teacher-Librarian. The move coincided with the construction of the new School Improvement Plan (SIP) so a role statement was provided. I contributed very little as I have never been a Teacher-Librarian before but the things I have been allocated are things I am excited to create.

Social Media - I am designing posts mainly for Instagram but they are also released on the school's Facebook account. My aim is a minimum of three posts per week. I am sending these to the Social Media Coordinator so the plan so far is to create an image with Canva (the education account is great) or take a photo and then I caption each in a record sheet before emailing off for posting. I may start a school specific account in the future some time. So far 33 posts have been shared which has been a solid start.

Posters - I have just been putting a few bits and pieces together on Canva to brighten up certain places. I also bought an electronic alphabet bunting and I used it to create a 'Write' wall with some Grant Snider cartoons about writing. There is a lot of blank space in the library which isn't a bad thing - it is a nice clean look but there are definitely some displays that I am excited to spruce up in the new year.

Displays - I have checked in with my fellow TL about creating a 'Book Trail' behind the circulation desk. We have recently had air conditioning installed and they have not been particularly judicious about the placement of the electrical service points. So my idea is to create some trail/journey/travelling/camping imagery around the window and in the window to display the covers of the books I am planning on reading (hopefully I will get a start on these during the holidays).

Reviews - Students are able to post reviews through Oliver so I approved these and printed out a template for book reviews to post some on the wall. There hasn't been a great take up of this - I need to work it in with the school's reward system as a merit for a review would be fine.

Continuous Story - The New York Public Library had a Continuous Story in the youth section of the library when I visited and I loved the idea. I need to rethink the placement in the library to capture students but there are a few posts at the moment. I will aim to push this a little more in the new year with more social media and I will change the prompt twice a term. I also need a place to leave some post it notes and pens on the service desk as well. 

Pocket Poetry - this surprised me a little so I am definitely continuing next year - I even have all of the poems printed for the entire year so I am ready! I will place a few more 'pockets' around as well and then the poems will be updated twice a term just to keep things fresh. I think mostly things just have to be changed or updated regularly so I am looking forward to coming up with displays and a bit of a timeline to fit in with some special days over the holidays. A schedule will help me to keep track and then if I need to be off with my son (hopefully both his and my immune systems will be doing a bit better in the new year!) then I will remain on track.

Research skills - I was really reluctant to take on study last semester as things were just manic after covid and really, I never caught up. I wasn't able to defer, however, so I struggled on but the resources I cam across were really useful and I was able to come up with some great resources to support students with the research projects in CAFS. I am aiming to refine these either this afternoon or tomorrow so they can be added as a scaffold to the assessment task next year. 

Working with individual students - this mainly took place in CAFS where students spent a large portion of the term investigating the research question they created at the start of the term. Students were required to conduct local research as well as a literature review and this is where they were a little stuck. I supported them with search terms and joined their search just to be an extra set of eyes searching. For most students we were able to find at least 4-5 articles which set them on the right path to write their literature review.

Developing resources to support the inquiry learning process - I am still tweaking these and I have come up with a few things that would have helped me with the inquiry process earlier this semester so hopefully students will find them useful. At least they will be a resource that I can take with me when I am supporting students with their research.

The school newspaper - I have been tasked with being the final editor of the student led school newspaper. A year 10 student started the publication and has organised, very efficiently I might add, a great team. She leads the meetings and ensures everyone has a task to complete by the deadline. I will hopefully continue to help out in the future - just as an extra pair of eyes to ensure everything is smooth and clear before distribution. 

Communication Skills - my teaching load is year 7 Communication Skills which is almost like a literacy subject that all year 7 students take once a fortnight. Now we are at the end of the year and I have seen all of my classes multiple times this term I know quite a few of their names which is really nice. Hopefully they all come back to the library next year to borrow some books!

Extra curricular - the second half of this term I ran a 'Gift of Writing' recess activity. Using Nancie Atwell's process from 'In the Middle' I put together some poems as an example of different ways gifts of writing could be structured and I awaited hoards of students coming along to write gifts for their friends and families. This is not exactly how it panned out - I have had two students come along and at the first mention of poetry one left. The other student, though, has come along every Monday and she has written several poems - firstly for a group of friends and secondly for her parents. We brainstormed together and then I let her write and gave her some quick feedback before the bell went. 

Display video - the library has a display television and after a bit of trial and error with PowerPoint I worked out how to get it to show a presentation on loop. I have made the first one for Term 1, 2021 and will get started on the second one early next year.

Newsletter items - I am aiming for two newsletter items about reading/literacy/new books per term. I have a couple of short articles written already because I was required to compose several for an assessment task so I updated them to suit the context and have filed them ready for next year. I penned the second one for this term based on one from the Association of Independent Schools. The article is titled 'Holiday Reading Ideas for Your School Newsletter' - so helpful. 

I have several (actually, many) books about reading so I have lots of quality information to draw on. I am currently reading 'Raising Readers' by Megan Daley and not only does it contain great book recommendations, ideas on how to support reading in children of all ages, it has some great tips for Teacher Librarians. I will have to pop them in my book of lists as I think they will be very helpful to look back upon as I develop my skills and understanding of the role.

It has been a great term and I am excited to see what the new year brings.

Launching into First Trimester

The systems we have set up so far:

Poetry Folder (teal): the shared literature for the class is the daily poem. The poem is read to students, they have quiet time to mark it up (using the questions on the back of the folder as a prompt if required) and the students drive the discussion – commenting on lines that stood out to them, the use of rhetorical devices, the use of diction, form, interesting lines, questions if they are unsure of something or possibly how an aspect of the poem fits in with the rest. At the end of the discussion, students rate the poem out of ten and file it in their folder. Once a semester they compile their top five poems. 

I was astonished when reading the class’ Reading and Writing Surveys at how well each student articulated what they like to read, and also, the list of their favourite poets. The students are in grades 7 & 8 – their ages range from 11-14, and they have favourite poets! I think this is incredible and a testament to rich literary worlds they inhabit supported by a range of engaging and enriching poems provided by their teachers and peers.

Writing In-Process Folder (light blue): containing each student’s Proofreading List, Editing symbols (including ‘STET’ – let it stand), plus the ‘Acorns’ Style Guide so everything can be compiled easily into the quarterly publication. This also helps when compiling shorter anthologies over the course of a trimester.

It is astonishing to see student engage in a rigorous writing process. They are empowered and accomplished writers who work their drafts through to be the best version of their piece. It is exciting to join them as they grapple with a line, a word, a title, or a ‘so what?’ as they construct and revise a piece. 

Homework Folder (yellow): this folder keeps all homework items together (except Math which has its own sheet in the student’s Math Binders).

Spelling Folder (white): In this folder students have a spelling master list where they add words they have had difficulty spelling across their subjects. They also have a few lists of ‘Commonly Misspelled Words’ to be used as a reference if they are haven’t identified any words from their work. For an outstanding student, there is also a ‘Most difficult words’ type of list. When their writing has been checked mispelled words may be added to the Editing Sheet for students to add to their spelling master list. Every time I read a piece - such as their Reading and Writing Survey, or a Letter-Essay, I also write any mispelled words on a sticky note to be added to the students' master list. Every Tuesday students bring five words written on a Word Study sheet for the teacher to check to ensure that they are not studying incorrect spelling. On Thursdays students partner check and then update their master spelling list with an asterisk if they have successfully shown they know the spelling of their words. 

Reading-Writing Handbook: This is a 100-page notebook where students record their Writing Territories, and potential topics for Odes and I also had them write down a few ideas for an anti-Ode as several have already penned an ode. The Reading-Writing Handbook also contains all of the mini lesson notes that are trimmed before class, lists about aspects of a particular genre (such as the Letter Essays).

There are also two permanent folders:

Writing (dark blue): the permanent writing record is where each student files the journey of every piece of writing they do from their W.O.P. (Writing off the Page), Draft 1 with revisions in Blue Pen, Draft 2 with edits in Red Pen (students attach an Editing Sheet to this copy and leave it in the tray), and then teacher edits in Black Pen. Draft 3 is usually a final check just for any grammar, punctuation type things (students leave drafts at this stage on the chair), but if more work is needed there may be another draft and that is okay – it is all part of the process. The final copy is changed to single space and formatted according to the ‘Acorns’ Style Guide. The final copy is paper clipped on top of all of the drafts and then stored in the permanent Writing folder in the cabinet at the front of the classroom. The student records the title of the piece, when they finished it, as well as the genre – a really quick glance shows them (and me) how often they are publishing their writing and what genres they have written in so far. 

 

I have noticed, so far, that students love experimenting with a range of genres, and they have ideas for their next piece whilst they are engaged in writing their current one. There is one student who has set herself a challenge of completing a piece per week. I think this is admirable and her poetry sings a result of a writing process that is considered and thorough.

Reading (light green): the permanent reading record is where students record the books they have read or abandoned. Students record the date when they finished reading a title as well as the genre. This record allows them to interrogate their reading habits and determine future directions for their reading.

This is really just a brief overview to reflect and consolidate my understanding of how everything operates at CTL. I have consulted 'In the Middle' and 'The Reading Zone' as well as 'Lessons that Change Writers' and 'Naming the World' extensively. If you are after mini-lesson ideas, check out 'Lessons that Change Writers.'

Picture 1. CTL

Picture 2. Supplies in the Humanities Room

Picture 3. The Writing Room

Picture 4. Folders with two pockets (Staples)

Picture 5. Folders with two pockets and fasteners (Staples)

Writing about Reading Books about Writing #2 'On Writing' - Stephen King

The bookshelf that holds my growing collection of 'books about writing' has started to bow so with renewed determination I have begun adding them to my GoodReads account - surely if I populate my 'To Read' list with their titles I am sure to read them, right?

I am drawn to books about words and the people who write them. I have been thinking about why I enjoy the genre and I have reached a conclusion - I am intrigued by the way the creative process plays out differently for each individual - and I like the life story tucked behind. What I have found in my reading so far is much more than sets of writing rules. There is a sense of the person who has grappled with imposter syndrome, self doubt, incredulity from friends, and possibly family, as well as contended with the ebb and flow of imaginative energy to embark on the creative life.

So this brings me to my latest read - Stephen King's memoir 'On Writing' which is featured on every online list of writing advice. The memoir is significantly shorter than King's works of fiction and was published in 2000, which I initially figured wasn't that long ago, but one can quickly become deluded when they reflect upon how long ago it was since they sat in a high school classroom. I read Stephen King voraciously from Year 10 through Year 12 - my late teens were the apex of my horror reading. I sometimes wish I spent some of this time reading the books all English teachers have read by the time they leave school - but alas I did not have that reading list, and I am still yet to find it - so 'K' was the section I hung around in the Laurieton Library.

I found solace in school, and reading and whilst I cannot exactly recall where I was when I was reading - was it on the school bus? Or was I lugging tomes of horror to roll call? Who knows. I just know that 'Cujo,' 'It,' 'The Shining,' 'The Stand,' 'The Dark Tower Series' and 'Black House' (which was co-written with Peter Straub) allowed me to escape into the deep to become entangled in plot lines twisting around upon themselves and to lose everything in the languishing accumulating detail that characterises many of King's works.

In reading the opening chapters of 'On Writing' I was struck by King's sense of humour but also some of the difficulties he faced at different stages in his life. Here was the tale of an author writing demons whilst gripped in the fight against his own. I think most whom have a penchant for capturing what it is they see in the mind's eye for the page, or canvas, or other medium, know that the process of creating is an act of vulnerability but one that is inherently important - 'Come to it anyway but lightly. Let me say it again - you must not come lightly to the blank page.' I took my time with 'On Writing.' I added notes to my Common Place Book and spent time ruminating over the messages to determine what could possibly apply to my writing and the way that I set up the practice of writing in the classroom.

Here's thirteen extracts that resonated with me:

1. '...stopping a piece of work just because it's hard either emotionally or imaginatively, is a bad idea. Sometimes you have to go on when you don't feel like it...' - sage advice.

2. '...it behooves you to construct your own toolbox and then build up enough muscle so that you can carry it with you.'

3. 'Unless he is certain of doing well [the writer] will probably do best to follow the rules.' - this gem from William Strunk (The Elements of Style is on my 'To Read' list).

4. 'Paragraphs ...are maps of intent.'

5. 'If you don't like it later on, fix it then. That's what the rewrite is all about.'

6. 'At its most basic we are only discussing a learned skill, but do we not agree that sometimes the most basic skills can create things far beyond our expectations?' - I think this would make a great poster for the classroom.

7. 'If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.'

8. 'I like to get to ten pages a day, which amounts to 2000 words.' - routine and commitment a prolific writer makes.

9. 'One word at a time.'

10. '...you must be able to describe it, and in a way that will cause your reader to prickle with recognition.'

11. 'Talk, whether ugly or beautiful, is an index of character; it can also be a breath of cool, refreshing air in a room some people would prefer to keep shut up.'

12. 'The most important things to remember about back story are that a) everyone has a history and b) most of it isn't very interesting.'

13. '... you can, you should, and if you're brave enough to start, you will.'

As King states, 'Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around' for without art, what is there?

Writing about Reading Books about Writing #1 'Bird by Bird' - Anne Lamott

My interest in writing and the teaching of writing stems from my background as an English teacher. I work with students everyday, some love writing - they will summarise notes, write short or extended responses to questions, pen a poem, a narrative, an essay, all with enthusiasm and delight. Though there's a flipside - students who lump all of their experiences of writing in one pile and label it 'yuck' - my own experiences mostly place me in the first category but I have experienced the 'yuck' - the strain of getting a sentence just right, of extending a thesis throughout a critical response, the effort to articulate exactly what it is that I'm thinking. It is hard.

I have always written but have never considered myself a 'writer.' Since joining one of the ETA Writing Teachers groups I have begun to engage with what it means to be a writer and it is my hope that the experience of writing regularly and sharing my work with others will give me more insight into what my students experience when they set about the important work of writing.

To further my understanding of the writing process I have engaged with literature exploring pedagogical approaches to the teaching of writing at word, sentence, paragraph, and whole text level but it becomes especially apparent, (especially after my foray into the delight that is the work of Nancie Atwell) that there is something missing. The human element, the grit and determination needed to mould and build pieces of writing. I needed to know more about the compulsion to write and how people overcome blocks and garner inspiration.

A few months ago I started listening to the Australian Writers' Centre podcast  'So You Want to be a Writer' (featuring authors A.L. Tait and Valerie Khoo). Besides being entertaining, the podcast provides insight into the process of writing fiction, non-fiction, as well as publishing, blogging, and what it means to be a writer in the world. One of the segments that I particularly enjoy is the suggestion of a book about the craft of writing. In Episode 61 Valerie and Allison discuss several texts that they count as influential and worthwhile. I must say, from this initial introduction I have developed a strange love of these non-fiction volumes exploring the writing process and have now filled an entire shelf in my bookcase. The joy!

I started with Anne Lamott's 'Bird by Bird' and I loved it. Here's a few points I pulled from the text:

Ten Snippets of Advice from 'Bird by Bird'


1. Words and writing are what paint and canvas are to a fine artist, a way to interpret and see the world and in Lamott's case, when struggling to find her place as a teenager, to gain some acceptance. The power of story is evident throughout the book.

2. The one-inch picture frame is the precursor to the 'bird by bird' anecdote. Both are suggestions as to how to avoid the all encompassing, desperate, and overwhelming feeling when embarking upon a journey into the unknown. I love how honest Lamott is, an author who has written many novels and books, yet she comes back to first principles - the one inch picture frame, bird by bird.

3. The best possible writing advice? WRITE! Thanks Lamott and also, thanks Goldberg (I will read your work after Stephen King!).

5. The emotional acre we all receive at birth is the perfect pasture to explore what matters to a character - what is happening behind the fence? What is planted there? Who is allowed in? Food for thought and a delicious opportunity to uncover the inner workings of an aloof protagonist. The emotional acre is suitable for writing and life, especially since unwelcome visitors can be told to leave, stat!

6. Character development propels the plot but it needs to be on the page! Write first, smooth later! Lamott's step into dialogue in the following chapter is a joyous one - references to Hemingway and reminders: keep the dialogue 'sharp and lean', ensure each character has a distinct voice, and avoid dialect - good advice!

7. Drafting 'short assignment by short assignment' is a way forward when the going is rough.

8. To be a writer one must be reverent. I love the beautiful stories of friends, family, the world, and her students that Lamott weaves through 'Bird by Bird.' It is a real account of a writerly life - worries, anxieties, panic, self-doubt, alongside the occasional exaltation, however short lived, when a book is published.

9. Live 'big round hours' and write what is most important. Lamott refers to a moral purpose in writing, not in a gratuitous, over-the-top way, but to explore the world to say, 'this is who we are.'

10. Give your best, everyday. There will always be more.

Next: Stephen King's 'On Writing'