I started a Sustained Silent Reading program last fall and it has worked
well.
Each study hall period gets one SSR period per week, scattered so they do
not all fall on the same day.
What I have found most vital is that you do not make any allowance for
anything
else to take place in the media center during SSR. (The exception to this
is when teachers ask for the library for a collaborative lesson. This has
been
explained to the students up front so they are aware that SSR may be
pre-empted for this). There are students who ask if they can "just type an
essay"
or read from a textbook, but that defeats the purpose of promoting the
reading
of freely chosen books.
Students are told that they must have a book in hand to come in for the SSR
period. There is no time given over to selecting a book during this period.
(I have a flexible schedule, including being open before school, during
lunch,
and after school...there's no reason for any student not to have a book ready
in advance).
Once SSR begins (five minutes into the period), no one else may enter the
library. I want the students who are taking advantage of SSR to be aware
that
this time is totally protected for them. Any faculty in the library must
abide
by the same rules, and faculty and staff may only read a book as well (no
newspapers, no chatting, including myself). This models the value of the
SSR.
Some students grumble when they have forgotten about
SSR that day and left another project until the last minute. This is also a
lesson in responsiblity, and a failure to plan on their part does not
constitute
a crisis on my part.
So far, so good. The SSR readers LOVE it; the faculty supports it (I
notified
them, and asked for feedback, BEFORE starting it);
and the students who think of study hall as a pit stop
to finish a weeks-long project that they have put off for weeks
are learning to plan better.
Bottom line:
The library staff and faculty MUST participate in the reading.
Hold the line and do not allow the SSR boundaries to become fuzzy, or it will
be all over.
Good luck! It's worth every effort you will make. I've had kids who have
to force
themselves to read thank me for the opportunity of 35 minutes of complete and
total silence. But it's not just the silence...it's the perceived value
that you are
placing on it that does the trick.
Steve
Steve Patnode
Grades 7-12 SLMS
Chazy Central Rural School
Chazy, NY 12921
sun85@aol.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/
Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/
EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------
LM_NET
Mailing List Home