1. Behavior Concerns
Yes, this is the number one thing you need to watch for! Kids are kids, and they will try to take advantage of this! Stand firm, monitor this group more closely. Use proximity. You can also pull students away as a consequence. Students love Book Clubs but if their behavior gets in the way, they need to be removed. Watch also for the opposite-using behavior to get out of Book Clubs. Students who don't finish work don't participate. Students are quick to figure this out and will try and use it to their advantage. Be one step ahead and have a plan. I usually provide additional class time to that student-especially if you have centers or "free time" that can be used. It won't take them long to see their theory of less work doesn't work. Always be on the look-out for behavior!
2. Struggling Students
Struggling doesn't always mean that just the low students struggle. Struggling can come in many forms. The idea that it is just the reading who causes a student to struggle is not true in Book Clubs for Kids. The work itself can be a struggle. Coming up with questions for a student who has not mastered questioning in reading is a struggle. Creating a summary can cause a high student a lot of stress if they have not practice creating a summary. Some kids can't make a strong connection because they lack some emotional skills to do so. This is when you can differentiate your student's tasks. Watch for what they need, instead of what you need. Providing the perfect balance can lead to success for all your students!
3. Weaknesses of the Class
Weaknesses of the class in Book Club for Kids is key to watch for. This can give you an overview of what concepts and ideas your students are lacking. Teaching a skill in isolation and expecting them to apply it in Book Club can be a surprise when they fail at being able to do it. Isolation is just that-students are looking for that skill and they do it for the grade, just like spelling tests or other rote skills. Then when they are confronted with something in Book Clubs we are shocked when they fail at it. WHY? It is now in context. Book Clubs are the perfect opportunity to see what your class really knows and make a plan to correct their path, whether it be the whole class or small groups of kids. Watch for the weaknesses, they are there!
4. Lessons to Teach
It never fails that I have to teach two core lessons when we get started, no matter what grade level I teach. The first one is how to write a summary! Summaries are key to Book Club with Kids. Summaries are also key to classroom experiences and State Testing skills. Yet, kids are always weak at it because we teach it in isolation! And, what do we hear over and over - your kids can't summarize. With Book Club, it is a required element that makes them practice in context, again making the skill come alive! So, take the time to teach it as you want to see it. This could be done pre-Book Club or even during Book Club.
Another weakness in students, no matter what grade I've taught, is good, quality questioning. Students will start out looking for knowledge level questions, including yes/no answer questions. Make it clear from the beginning that these questions are NOT acceptable. Work in lessons on how to build stronger questions for your Book Club discussions. Tie in Author's Purpose as a way to challenge students to ask other students questions. Even better, build in questions stems through Anchor Charts that students can access over and over again. Don't give up. This skill takes time and with your constant help, students will be developing "teacher quality" questions. Trust me, I have a whole notebook full of questions I've made enhanced with questions students have asked to match my ever growing collection of Book Club books!
So, what are you looking for to discover lessons-the first place to look is at #2- weaknesses. What continues to be your class' weakness? The second place to look is your Standards, whether it is Common Core or specific State Standards. Search to discover what your students need. You will not be disappointed!
This is an example of how you can take a Standard and
turn it into a Book Club!
5. Enjoyment!
This is a key component of Book Clubs for Kids. If they are not enjoying it, they are probably not learning. There are always books that students won't enjoy. It is key to keep this in mind as you select books. Just because you enjoy may not mean that they do. Be responsive to student need even before you start. Then, monitor for this. There are times you may just need to abandon a book, just like real readers do. This needs to be an open discussion among your group and be agreed upon by all, so that they hear they are valued and respected. In general though, students enjoy this process and want to engage in this process. Always be watching for their level of enjoyment though, just to be sure.
How do you accomplish all this? In a carefully crafted way! Differentiation is the very best way to meet all students needs and you can find that in these Book Club for Kids products! Grab what you need by clicking on the picture below!
I'd love to hear what you think! Leave me a comment and let me know what works for you or what you are still wondering about Book Clubs for Kids! Or, join me on Facebook or Instagram to follow my journey, including what I do with Book Clubs!
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1 comment:
A very nice recap and summaries for All the books you've mentioned. Thanks and a very nice collections though!
Children and Teen Books
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