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__**Chapter One: A Rationale for Reading Clubs**__
 * 1) 1. Kathy characterizes a reading club as a reading jam session: partnerships gathering together with a basket of books they are interested in. There is a conversation around these books and ideas grow and possibly change just like in a musician' jam club. As you read through the eight defining characteristics of a reading club, hopefully you began to grow ideas as to how you might utilize reading clubs in your classroom. Share your thoughts here.

I want to incorporate the Reading Clubs using my Science, Math and Social Studies. This component is powerful for the Nonfiction part of my program. I do know I will be researching partnerships. I also need to develop a climate of community harmony. That is why I have chosen three curricular areas to focus my first year of study.

Margaret Fox

This book so far is so grand—It gets to the point and give great ideas that actually help students and teachers right away Pg 5 Collins explains what a book club sound, looks and is like. Very helpful. I like that for some teachers that don’t have lots and lots of the same books—this approach allows clubs and students to get together to talk about books and topics and they approach can expand student thinking.
 * Respond Here: I really am enjoying this book as it is more opened ended compared to other book club books that I have read. Kathy really simplifies this as Jodee said and I like how she makes it so straightforward. I think I can use this in conjunction with partner reading in our reading workshop and I definitely want to try this out this year. She makes it sound so simple;)! I just need to try to incorporate it with other components in our workshop! SLG**

What stuck out at me is the structure of reading clubs. The prescribed method is for a certain time of the year for 2-4 weeks. This type of structure allows me to sell it to my teachers. It is a modeling activity that I can start and see most of the way through. This will help support the teacher and her students. I liked Marg idea about branching out into science and social studies it is perfect for that. Different books on a similar topic can be gathered for a science or social studies unit even if the public library has to be used for this endeavor. Kimberly Nash (KDN) I only wish that when I was in elementary school we had reading clubs. What a way for children to learn to love reading and encourage a lifelong relationship to reading. I can remember sitting in first grade at my table and crying both at school and at home because I hated reading so much. It was especially hard for me to understand(comprehend what I was reading) How exciting for children to have a basket of books that relate to each other in some way and be able to choose what they want to read at several different times throughout the school year. How exciting for the children to be able to read with a partner, become an expert about their chosen topic, learn helpful strategies, develop theories, ponder questions.... Jill Baker

This was a whole new way for me to look at book clubs. I have never personally been in a book club and in my mind I thought those who participated would get a list of questions to search for answers to as I read. I never thought of making connections to other areas I just thought everyone told their "answer" and then went on. I didn’t foresee all of the deep conversation. In my mind a book club was read the book, compare answers, have some snacks, and go home. In my classroom I saw myself as having to think of the right questions to ask followed by planning elaborate projects for the kids to do. I never really thought I would be able to do this with my whole first grade class. Kathy made it sound so simple when she said on page 5 that "a reading club is a couple of kids reading and talking about a small collection of books that go together in some way." This idea intrigued me so much that I sat by the pool today and read the first 5 chapters. I do think I can do this! –Jodee Tuttle Chapter 1 Question #1 from Bobbi Friend – Reading clubs being compared to a music jam session is a great way to visualize what happens in the classroom during club time. The idea that there is “improvisation in reading clubs – the book talks may cause the readers to revise, alter, or move their thinking in new directions” was important to me because I want my book clubs to change depending on the needs and experiences of my students. The key to a successful book club is allowing students to read and talk to serve their own purposes, satisfy their own interests, and meet their own goals. I can use book clubs often in sixth grade. I plan to develop book clubs based on interest groups, non-fiction groups that will parallel other classroom work, a character study group, and a goal setting unit. Kathy says that “in reading clubs our students orchestrate all of the knowledge and strategies they’ve accumulated for reading and talking about texts in order to think deeply about topics or texts of interest.” Because book clubs can be used by students at any level, much of the work I will do with older students is similar to what I would do with younger ones, just at a higher level. The idea that reading clubs are simply baskets of books that have been gathered together because the texts relate to each other in some way makes them very user friendly and easy to develop.

I am very excited about reading this book. I just finished Kathy Collins first book - // Growing Readers - // and the chapter that interest me the most was the chapter on "reading centers." I, too, love the analogy of reading groups to a music jam. A jam session is so organic, the coming together of like minded musicians to enjoy what they like doing with people who share the same love. There is no competition, just peers allowing their friends, not only, to do what they do well, but also allowing them to take risks and try something new. Reading clubs sound similar. Students coming together to read and talk about a topic they are interested in. Feeding off of each other ideas, "ponder questions, celebrate discoveries, develop theories,... and increases their comfort and familiarity with different kinds of texts ..." Real Reading! Fran Olesen I love to read! I love to pick what I want to read and I LOVE to talk about what I read with my friends. I was a classroom teacher for 13 years and now I am entering my 4th year as the principal of a prek-5th grade elementary school. Many of my teachers are involved in the Reader's Workshop so I wanted to dive in to learning more about the things they are trying. Book Clubs have been a hot topic with my teachers for a couple of years. I love what Jodee shared above when she talked about always thinking Book Clubs were a lot of work for the teacher and that readers answered some questions, had some snacks and moved on...as a teacher, I thought book clubs were a lot of work for the teacher...but the way the author talks about book clubs is real life! When any book club is successful, it is really just a group of readers focusing on sharing their thoughts regarding a common book or topic they have read. It is meaningful to talk to other peers with same interests and a similar level of expertise over a topic. It is a powerful learning opportunity. I love how Kathy Collins says on page 9, "The partners plan for the work they will do together..." Kids are excited about their reading and ready to dig in! Carol Dawson
 * Reading Clubs are completely new to me. I have never done them before with a class. It was just something I never incorporated into the culture of my classroom. Only in this past school year was I even really aware of them, especially the Teacher's College version. When I worked as a Literacy Coach, I did hold some book clubs with small groups that were pulled out of the classroom to participate in these groups. But I have never used them as a classroom teacher. **
 * As I read chapter 1, I was happy that my first introduction to Reading Clubs was laid out very clearly and explicitly. The eight characteristics given make it very plain to any teacher who would like to start utilizing reading clubs in their classrooms. Also, as others noted above, reading clubs can really be used at all grade levels. Even though this book is written for the K-3 teacher, the idea of reading clubs and what they are meant to accomplish can be used for all grades. **
 * I like that Collins stated that a reading club is simply a basket of books that relate in some way. This was good for me to hear first because it made it sound so simple. It also cleared up my understanding when she said that reading clubs are not part of the daily reading workshop structure, but are implemented at other various times throughout the year. This makes me think that there could be a lot of opportunities to integrate reading clubs with math, science, and social studies topics that we cover during the school year. The author also made it clear that in most cases with reading clubs, readers would with partners or groups of students with similar reading levels. There has been so much discussion among educators about hetero or homogeneous grouping of students, that is was nice to hear her position clearly stated and to know that in the case of reading clubs, I feel the same way. Of course with reading clubs, as with reading workshop overall, kids are reading books at or about their independent reading levels. The last 4 characteristics of reading clubs will be the ones that are most challenging for me. The other four I could make happen easily, but the last four are really related to the quality of conversation and the kind of thinking students are doing withing their clubs. These are the areas where I will really need the rest of this book to help me with implementing quality reading clubs! **
 * Kristy Weberg **

I am quite excited about Reading Clubs. Like Fran, I really appreciated the analogy to a jam session and the way musicians listen to each other, help each other notice things and support each other into taking their music to new places. I have the privilege to watch a lot of musicians jam and I love the energy and satisfaction they seem to get from pushing and supporting each other. I can see this happening with this sort of book club. It seems so natural to me. Also, SLG mentioned incorporating book clubs with the rest of reader’s Workshop. This is what I am excited about: book clubs seem to fit seamlessly into that format. Other things I’ve tried (like Lit. Circles) seem tacked on which make it more difficult for me to fit them in. It is similar enough to the partner reading I am already having them do that there won’t be a huge transition. Also, since it isn’t all the time it seems manageable and an interesting change once in awhile. Krista Raffenaud


 * 2, The reasons to add reading clubs to your school year are very convincing. Our goal as literacy teachers is to create life-long readers who use all of their skills to "feed their lives and fuel their hopes". Discuss how you see these reading clubs as helping you attain this goal.

It was stated earlier that reading is a social activity. I may be initiating the core, Science, Social Studies, and Math, the children will be working on printed material that interest them. Children have a natural curiosty about their world. With the right fit material and partnerships built on research they can spend their time leafing through their minds making connections with their real world. Then giving them the time to have a "real" conversation about their reading.

Margaret Fox

How much more could you "feed the lives and fuel the hopes of children" than by replicating a kid-initiated reading club in your classroom? As I said previously, what a way for children to learn to love reading especially in an early age such as Kindergarten so they can have a lifelong relationship to reading. If the children are choosing a reading club which is of interest to them, reading books and engaging them in their reading and talking with a partner who is at a very similiar reading level and who has the same interests, they are fueling their mind and body for growth. Jill Baker
 * Respond Here: I love book clubs and they feed my soul with the personal interaction both socially and within the book itself. I completely agree with Kristy. Our students are so ingrained with the MEAP and answering questions that they rarely get time, quality time and instruction on discussing books with others and especially on topics that they are really interested in. I cannot think of a better way to engage kids into the love of reading than letting them form interest based book clubs/discussions based upon topics and subjects that they are truly interested in. I can see this is an open invitation to ENJOY READING and assimilate with their peers. I love teaching at its best when it based more upon student choice and kid engineered rather than all teacher directed. I cannot see how this opportunity could or would deter a child from not wanting to read and be engaged with their peers! SLG**


 * My students have been so completely trained to read various texts and answer questions. With the pressures of the MEAP test and other district assessments, the focus is always on raising those scores, and especially as kids reach the upper grades, which is where I teach, many teachers spend a lot of time focusing on this. Because kids spend so much time reading and answering questions, they really haven't had many people talking to them about reading in real life, and ways that we use reading just to enrich our lives, to help in our careers, and to deepen our understanding of various subjects. **
 * This past year was the first year I did reading workshop (no reading clubs included) and it was amazing to me how much this helped my students see what reading is like in real life. Just daily having our mini-lesson where we talk about real life strategies and then practicing them in our reading of books helped to build in kids a love of reading and an understanding that they need it for their futures. **
 * I am hoping to extend this even further with reading clubs. Just reading what I have from chapter 1 so far, and knowing that the focus of these clubs is on quality conversations and deeper thinking while kids read, I'm hoping that reading clubs will help students see how they will utilize reading in their futures in areas such as: high school and college courses where they have to complete group projects based on reading and thinking, areas of their future careers where they will need reading for more that just spitting back information, and also to create an even deeper love of reading, so that its something to bring enjoyment to the lives of students, now and in the future. **
 * Kristy Weberg **

As I close my eyes and visualize what book clubs would look like in my room, I see 8-12 groups of kids actively engaged with their books and each other. It is my plan to get more of my books out of the closet, sorted and in baskets by author, topic, characters, and so forth. I am traveling between the groups listening, asking some probing questions, and observing the interaction. The groups are making a plan for their work that they will tell me so when I check in I will have an idea of what is going on. I believe that book clubs will inspire a community of readers who are deep thinkers and through practice use good communication. I think they will have creative ideas to support their reading and I think the groups will be inspiration to each other as everyone observes the work of others. I foresee book clubs being a favorite part of reader’s workshop. –Jodee Tuttle Chapter 1 Question #2 from Bobbi Friend – Developing lifelong readers should be the goal of literacy programs in general. Reading clubs help attain this goal in many ways. First of all, it helps because reading clubs are interesting. When students are able to discuss and share their ideas, they are more engaged in their reading. Another way it helps is because students are reading at their reading level which allows them to be successful with their reading. The next way it helps is because students become experts in their own reading. They become experts about their topics and that increases their comfort and familiarity with different types of texts which will help them become lifelong readers. Yet another way it helps is because teachers can confer with students at an individual level so they can be certain that they have the skills and strategies they need to be successful readers. It also helps because students will still have time for additional independent reading. Finally, reading clubs provide opportunities for students to solidify their newly acquired reading skills and strategies by applying them in real-life ways. It reflects real-life reading work in which students develop their own opinions and passions about what they are reading.

As I read the introduction in this book it was refreshing to see the following quote, "Reading clubs arose out of a deep commitment to helping each of our students develop a resourcefulness in using strategies to read the words and understand the texts, a flexible and confident reading identity, and a sense of joy, playfulness, enthusiasm, and intention toward their reading." One does not often see the word "playfulness" in this age of high stake testing. But if you want a child to become a life long reader it must have some playfulness in it. I got admit I love my occasional "bodice ripper" now and then, and never miss the Sunday comics. I, also, enjoy the wine and cheese almost as much as the discussion at book club meetings. I need to be sure to include the playfulness and joy of reading to my students. Particularly to the students who struggle with the mechanics of reading. Fran Olesen

I was recently "hanging out" with my teenaged cousins and nephews. One of my cousins told me she hates to read because it is so boring and then proceeded to text her friends back in her home state of Arkansas. I thought to myself...how can someone hate to read...and how can it be boring?? My cousin can clearly read and loves to read the text messages from her friends or anyone willing to send her a message...then reading to her is fun...useful...relevant. The question brought me back to all of the reading I have been doing about teaching reading and I know that the love of reading comes from a child's early years at home and then from the enthusiasm and relevance that child's teachers place on reading over the years. One teacher can totally change a child from hating to loving reading by simply getting the right books in their hands and giving them opportunities to talk to their peers about interesting books...hmmm...this sounds like book clubs. :) As a principal, this same concept can be applied with my staff. I like to share books and article with my staff to help them grow with professional reading. I will use some of the concepts and ideas from this book to help me get my staff more excited about reading professionally. Carol Dawson

I think children are empowered in this approach. They choose the clubs, they plan, they notice and then grow ideas, they learn to be resourceful. Students share their thoughts and are listened to. It isn’t just one person having the right answer. When people are empowered like this, when their thoughts are listened and responded to, I think they are fed by the experience. I believe that having something to offer feeds us and gives us hope. Students in these reading clubs read for themselves and their partners, not for the teacher. An additional thought: like Fran I was so happy to see Kathy use words like “joy” and “playfulness”. These are so important for our classrooms! Krista Raffenaud

This endeavor is more life like than some. It allows students to be partnered up with a few people of similar interest and abilities to read and work through information that is interesting to them. That is what grown ups do when they are in a book club—similar interest, genre and level or reading. Excitement is transfers and being together with other students help facilitate this. KDN