Getting kids to read

It started when Principal Jason Greenway handed Medicine Bow Elementary teacher Shelley Cooper the book "Book Whisperer" by Donalyn Miller early in the school year.

The author of "Book Whisperer" is a teacher who says she has yet to meet a child she couldn't turn into a reader. Her method is unconventional. Miller does away with traditional reading instruction of book reports and comprehension worksheets and instead, focuses on letting students choose books and independently read. Miller's students read an average of 40 books a year and achieve high scores, at least 85 percent, on standardized tests. The students internalize a love for books and reading that lasts long after they've left her class.

The Medicine Bow Elementary teacher went to the class she teaches, 2nd through 6th grade, and asked them if they wanted to try and achieve the goal of reading a certain number of books per student in the school year to come.

"They made me leave the classroom when they voted," Cooper laughed. "I came back and they said they wanted to try and read 35 books. I was like, 'Woo-hoo! Great, that is awesome.'"

Cooper explained how the challenge was set up.

"It wasn't just that they had to read their grade level, they had to read different genres," Cooper said. "So they had so many fiction, so many non-fiction and so many science."

She said the students discovered subjects they really liked, that might have been overlooked without this challenge.

"They found out they liked poetry, which was very nice," Cooper said. "They shared different authors and different genres and it worked because the kids were doing the recommending."

Cooper said book reports were done different than the typical manner of most schools.

"On Monday, we would sit in a circle, and everybody would talk about the books that they were reading, and then share ideas," Cooper explained. "We would have a really good in-depth discussions during this time."

On other days they focused on the books they were reading in another manner.

"Every day they would team up with someone and talk about the books that they were reading, and then they would read to each other for five minutes a piece," Cooper said. "Then they would get 20 minutes to read their own books."

Cooper said the challenge worked really well for her because of all the different grades that she taught.

"I teach 2nd through 6th grade and, to try and get all that reading in with the standard curriculum, this helps because I literally can run out of time," Cooper said. "And this way of reading, the kids are able to choose their reading and they are able to work on their grade level."

She said the assessment results are encouraging. Her lowest level reader has jumped 76 points on his state composite score.

"Everybody else had jumped quite a bit," Cooper said. "If they weren't here for the test, because a few students came here later in the year, they are at least proficient or higher."

She said the student's fluency in their daily reading has increased.

"I am just blown away how much," Cooper said.

There was also a reward system for the students on how fast they were hitting their goals.

"We made a big chart with what the rewards would be," Cooper said. "When all the students hit seven books, they got free choice time in school. The amazing thing is ... these kids have not made the reward, the important part. The reading is the important part. They beg me to read all the time, they meet each other at the public library after school. They are sharing books. If one kid says they need a science fiction, another will say, 'I know this great author and takes them to the library and shows where it is'".

Another benefit of the challenge is a younger reader will listen to an older student, then the younger student will push themselves to get to the level to read the higher level book.

"I had only one student who told me last year, she read 10 books for enjoyment," Cooper said. "All the other students said they had read zero to two books for enjoyment. Now they are reading at least 28."

The number 28 is special.

Medicine Bow Elementary celebrated every student hitting the mark of 28 books read with a sleepover at the school on February 19.

Each student brought a pillow, blanket and a change of clothes for the next day. The students sleeping arrangements had one section of the gym for boys and the other section for girls.

Activities started at 7 p.m.

Liz Ellis, from the Medicine Bow Conservation District, taught students how to use a compass and GPS. There were challenge games from 9-10 p.m. At 10 p.m. the girls did origami and artwork. The boys played dodgeball. At 11 p.m., Principal Greenway gave instruction on photography and Lego robotics. At 12:30 a.m. the children got to watch the movie Hugo. At 2 a.m. it was lights out.

The next school day started with a hot breakfast at 9:30 a.m. and classes started at 10 a.m.

Cooper said that many of her students had read 35 books on the date of the reward.

"It is not only impressive that so many hit the 35, now they are saying they want to go more," Cooper said. "They have set personal goals that the class as a whole reads a thousand books."

She said the students sat down and asked each other how many books they thought they could read by the end of the year, and the number is 1,018.

"They get to choose what interests them in science, then you can build around it," Cooper said. "If the kids enjoy reading we can accomplish a lot of things but, if a kid is struggling to read, it is hard to get kids into science textbooks."

She said the non-fiction books chosen that were surprising. Poetry, myths and biographies were the favorite subjects.

"It used to be so hard to get them to read biographies," Cooper said. "It was like pulling teeth. They not only read them now, but share them with the class."

When she put out a social studies textbook for the class to read, Cooper said the students grabbed the book and broke it down on who needed to be responsible for what information.

"They didn't even hesitate," Cooper said. "What is interesting too, is that there were students that came in later after the kids had started this, so they just followed the class. I thought these kids were readers and then one mother came to a parent/teacher conference and said 'I don't know who this kid is'. She told me that he never read books ever and now he brings books everywhere. I think it was because he had kids already setting the example."

Cooper said her older readers have challenged themselves to the utmost. She thinks because the students have been able to select the books, they are more hungry to read than if they were assigned a book. She said excitement is another component that makes this challenge successful.

"They got to take ownership of choosing to do this challenge," Cooper said. "They are the ones setting the goals now, not me. They are choosing to grow and they see it happening. Its makes them excited."

Greenway is pleased Cooper's class has embraced the challenge.

"I think when you let kids choose their own books, and you get them interested in reading, this is what happens, especially when you have a good teacher," Greenway said. "I did this when I was a teacher, and the results that Shelley's class is experiencing, I have seen in my last 10 years of teaching."

"It is getting kids excited about reading," Greenway said. "You can teach reading skills through books they pick out because they want to learn. It doesn't always have to be only from a textbook."

He believes Cooper has done an amazing job of having the students stretch themselves with their reading choices.

"Every time I go into the classroom, I see a student reading a Shel Silverstein and there is a collaborative environment that students discover a writer and they want to share it," Greenway said. "This works with genres that they don't normally read. If a book is well liked, it is passed around."

Greenway said books assigned to certain grade levels can be misleading.

"If a book is considered above their grade level, let them have a go at it. In the same form, if a book is considered below a grade level, let them read it," Greenway. "The point is, you have a book in their hand that they are enjoying. The benefit is the student wants to read. The idea is a kid chooses a book, not because of level, but because of interest."

He said there is a lot of research on letting kids pick out their own books.

"The skills of reading translates into other subjects," Greenway said. "If a student is comfortable reading different genres at an early age, it will make them comfortable reading different subjects in high school and college."

Greenway is happy Cooper chose to try the challenge with her kids when he offered it.

"She was willing to take the risk after reading the book and getting inspired," Greenway said. "I think it is important for educators to pay attention to projects like this and I give her kudos for all the effort she put forth."

Greenway said this challenge has worked in classes that are one grade with 40 students.

"It definitely works," said Greenway.

Cooper's class proves Greenway's words. On the day of their sleepover, the class had read 431 books between 10 students.

"It has been fun to see them be able to take the books and come off with comprehension, come off with a better fluency and most importantly enjoy reading. They want to read," Cooper said. "So I feel like we are building kids that are going to carry reading on without instruction from a teacher."

With Medicine Bow Elementary having been closed for over a month, it will be interesting to find out how many books Cooper's class actually do read by the end of the year; 1,018 might turn out to be a low number.