A Little Spark

One of the things I miss most about teaching is building relationships with my students.  Middle schoolers are fun and funny, and they have a unique perspective on things.

A favorite memory of mine is from my first year of teaching.  I had been told that the 8th grade novel was The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas, and I would be expected  to teach it to my high level reading class.  Not a problem; I loved reading and books, and this would be just what my little teacher’s heart needed—literature not grammar.

Of course, I was struggling to juggle lesson-planning, learning the grammar rule/concept I was supposed to teach  (grammar was NOT my forte when I first started, and I had to learn the rule before I could construct a lesson to teach it to my kiddos), grading papers, calling parents, etc.  There was no time for me to really read the novel before I taught it, so I read just far enough to stay ahead of the kids.

One morning during our homeroom time, a student popped in my classroom, stood in front of my desk, and started talking about the chapters she had read the night before.  Thus began our morning conversations about Edmond Dantes, Mercedes, Fernand, Albert, and their adventures.  P.C. would burst in my classroom and shout out questions as she strode across the classroom to my desk.  Some days she’d ask me if I had  read to certain chapter yet. If I said no, she’d say, “Oh, Miss Rehder, you will LOVE it!  It answers so many questions!”  We begged each other not to reveal spoilers if the other hadn’t read far enough.  I loved P.C.’s excitement, her questions, her observations, and her insights.  I know that if I had already had read the novel, those conversations would not have been as robust.  Crazy thought, huh?

Fast forward to  a few years later. I decided to set up a bookclub for kids and parents as an extra credit opportunity.  For each club meeting a student attended and participated in, s/he earned  extra credit points.  If a student brought a parent, there were additional extra credit points earned.  I once had a granddad attend because the parent was out of town and Granddad wanted the kiddo to get those extra credit points.  I loved it!  We were such a mix my    lower readers were able to be exposed to complex ideas which in turn helped them develop their depth of thought. Parents were impressed with the students’ observations; students found a safe place to share their insights and build understanding. It was magical!!

I only did it that one year.  Education was changing; curriculum was changing; expectations for teachers and teaching were changing.  New teacher evaluation processes left no space for reading for pleasure.  No space for just talking about books because you fell in love with a character, a setting, a story arc, a theme.

I miss that.

So, I’ve started another bookclub.

It meets every 4th Tuesday of the month via Zoom.  Our first book is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig.  Bookclub is free.  You can sign up here.  If you need a copy of the book, we’ve got both the hardcover and audiobook for purchase, if you’ d like to purchase from us.

January 24, 2023 at 7PM. We’d love to have you join us.

Karen

January 2, 2023