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Synthesis Blog #5: Subjects Matter Chapter 9

BOOK CLUBS

Image result for book clubPrior to reading this chapter, I never would have thought to use a book club in my future middle school classroom. I assumed it would be too time consuming for both myself and students and not having enough benefit to use class time on. After reading, I have come to realize that book clubs are a helpful tool for teachers and students to combine both collaborative learning and independent reading in the classroom. I like that teachers have so much freedom to design the book clubs however they like, and that one attribute of the book club listed by the authors is that "a spirit of playfulness and sharing pervades the room' (243). Reading isn't always fun for students, but the set-up the book club provides makes it a fun time for students in the classroom.

Image result for book clubPart of what makes the book clubs fun is that students have the power to lead their own discussions with students their own age. This is a student centered activity in which the teacher does not lead the discussion, but rather the students engage in their own thoughts, questions, and claims from the text. My only concern is that students will need a lot of modeling on what kinds of questions to ask prior to engaging in their first in-class book club. However, after participating in the book club for a few weeks, students should eventually get the hang of it. I also like that part of this student-centered activity includes asking the students for input on what a good book club looks like when making the rubric. This sends the message to students that this isn't just my classroom as their teacher, it is our classroom as both students and teachers, and we are learning together. This mindset helps students understand that their learning is personal and for their benefit. Because of this, book clubs are a great way to help create a culture of equity between students and the teacher in the classroom, while helping students increase their own literacy practices.

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Comments

  1. Alena Locurcio15 October 2019 at 06:32

    Hey Heather!

    I agree with your concern regarding student's confusion about what type of questions to ask during a book club session. Maybe we can provide them with same questions to get their thinking started, just an idea. Personally, I would not know what kind of questions to ask just because there is so much content regarding one singular book.
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  2. Haley13 November 2019 at 19:03

    I think I will want to use book clubs in my classroom. And like Alena said, you have real concerns about how a book club will be conducted in a middle school classroom. Something I think would be really helpful is questions that are phishing for a response that is opinion based to get the ball rolling.

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