"Camp Out with a Good Book" Mornings

My number one passion is to connect books with students and help them find their favorite author and/or series. Donalyn Miller said in her book "The Book Whisperer" that when teachers create reading nooks as designated reading spots it helps place an importance on the concept of reading in the student’s mind. Well I wanted to apply that to the media center. While most people think of a library as a reading place not enough reading takes place during the week in the media center. I have a fixed schedule, which means that the guidance counselor and I have classes in the media center most of the day. While students get to check out during that time they don’t get a chance to really sit and just read for extended periods of time. So I started thinking how could I help the students associate the media center as a place to sit and relax with a good book. I came up with the idea of “Camp Out with a Good Book” Mornings. Each day is designated for a specific grade level. They can send three to four students per class to the media center just to read. The students are loving it. They come in and find a book and sit in the reading hut, or in the rocking chairs to enjoy a good book while soft music is playing. I have had parents tell me that their child really loves this quiet time in the mornings just to read.