Classroom Involvement
In an ideal world, you could post information about your meetings in classrooms and school libraries. Teachers would mention your group, provide titles, remind kids of meeting times, and possibly offer incentive / create some sort of tie-in to curriculum. Or better yet, you as the organizer could approach teachers to learn what books or topics they’d love to see their students read about. You could enhance what goes on in the classroom by selecting authors and titles that compliment school work.
Guiding Discussion
Some kids will come prepared to talk. And talk a lot! Others won’t really be sure how to begin. Even if you’ve given them idea starters, know not everyone will remember or even know how to get a book conversation going. Part of your role is to model how this works by coming with your own observations and questions. When kids hear you sharing a quote you think is key to the story or the obstacles a character had to overcome, they learn how to do this for themselves. Discussions naturally start to grow. Kids begin to read with ideas toward what they might share later. It’s an amazing process to watch.
Sometimes talks get so animated, everyone wants to talk at once. I found it helpful to have a way to visually show whose turn it was to speak. We passed around pencils, stuffed animals, and even a Kleenex box to show who currently was in charge. The kids loved this and were (usually!) willing to wait their turn.
Regular Attendance
To make regular attendance happen, you’ll need a combination of the following: committed kids, involved parents, a regular meeting time and place, consistent communication, a planned-out book schedule, and an easy way for children to get their hands on books. Be willing to be flexible, too. If something isn’t working, evaluate and determine how things could improve. Ask kids and parents for input. Be willing to cancel titles hard to find or add a new book everyone is anxious to read. Plan ahead but be willing to change, if necessary.
And don't forget: Cookies are always a great draw!
Ultimately, we want kids reading and responding to literature. There’s no perfect way to have this happen, but I can tell you this: when an adult is excited about books and shares this regularly with kids, it’s almost impossible for them not to get enthusiastic themselves.
There is nothing like loving children. There is nothing like loving books. To experience the two together is a gift indeed.
Running a Meeting
It’s a good idea not to have a book discussion that first meeting. Instead, talk about ground rules and what you hope your book club will become. Here are some things to think through beforehand:
- Will members be allowed to drop in when they feel like participating or will they be expected to attend regularly?
- What happens if a member hasn’t finished the book?
- How can members prepare before the meeting?
- And a key question: What’s the point of a book club?
Here’s a handout I gave my students our first week together:
Welcome to Book Club!
Here are some things you should know:
- In order to attend a meeting, you need to read the book. That’s it!
- Sometimes we’ll read a book about a boy. Sometimes we’ll read about a girl. If you are a boy, you CAN read about a girl and survive. I promise. Girls, same for you.
- To make Book Club as interesting as possible, it is good, though not required, to jot down things as you read. Here are some ideas:
- How does this book compare to others I’ve read?
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Getting Started
Book clubs can take some work getting off the ground. If you’re interested in starting a group, first think through the kind of community you’d like to form. Will this be a parent / child group? Will members be both boys and girls? Will they all be in the same grade? Will the book club have a theme of some sort?
Groups of all sorts are doable, though different approaches will be necessary in beginning and maintaining your special club. If you decide to work with all boys, for example, be aware active games might need to be incorporated into your meetings.
You’ll need to advertise your club in some way, whether it’s through informal conversation with other parents or through flyers distributed at the public library or (with permission!) your child’s school. As a teacher I was able to draw from my own students and those in other grades. This gave me an advantage but wasn’t a guarantee kids would attend.
Be sure to determine when and where you’ll meet and keep this as consistent as possible. If at all possible, print this information and make sure to distribute it not only to the children but to parents, as well. My after-school groups met on Thursdays, the youngest group on the first Thursday of the month, the middle group on the second, and the oldest group on the third.
Be prepared to remind kids of this commitment. More than once. While teaching, I was able to keep the date of our next meeting listed with daily assignments. I’d mention it briefly every day. Did kids forget? Absolutely. Several usually had to call home the day of the meeting to let parents know. When I was no longer teaching, this was more of a challenge. I asked the dates to be listed in the school calendar and newsletter. Teachers posted flyers in their classrooms. Kids still forgot. If you’re the only adult involved in your group, be prepared for this. Even responsible kids sometimes flake out. It’s just the way things work.
Picking Books
If you’re running a thematic group (fantasy, contemporary young adult, classics, historical fiction), your list will be easier to form. Book selection can be done as a group or on your own.
2 Comments on Starting a Book Club for Kids, last added: 6/22/2011
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2 Comments on Book Clubs for Kids, last added: 6/22/2011
you are a VERY special someone.
xo
b
Beth, thank you.