Increasing Motivation with Early Morning Book Club

Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.

As a teacher, what has been your biggest challenge to overcome?  Perhaps it's been juggling planning and prep with a busy schedule.  Maybe it's been working with the child in the classroom who never has homework, always needs to use the bathroom or run and errand, and never stops talking. It might even be working with difficult parents. In my situation, the obstacle I lose more sleep over and stress about is reaching what Donalyn Miller in The Book Whisperer calls, "The Dormant Reader".  Yes, I have worked with all reader types throughout my teaching career, but this one is personal.  This one is one of my own in my own home.

Reading did not start out this way for her.  She was an avid reader through second grade, but gradually, she's lost momentum.  She began abandoning books and/or making comments such as, "This book is boring," or "I hate reading." I think some of the conflict has been her way of being an individual and not just going along with what is really important to mom.  We're also battling the appeal of computers, Ipods, and tablets, but we seem to be moving in the right direction now, and I want to share a few strategies I've used to make this happen.

Emphasize Matching Book to Reader

Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.
I helped my youngest create a list of topics she was interested in and books that she liked.  I also suggested that she look on Amazon for books by the topics she was interested in and put them on her wishlist.  (This can be done at school with our students too.)  When we go to the library, I send her off to look and suggest that she ask the librarian to help her locate books that would match her interests. That took me out of the equation, and she came home with a huge stack (and she's read two so far.) Another great book recommending site is Goodreads.  You have to get a subscription, but it is free. As a teacher, we should use this site with our students to check out and leave book reviews for books read. This was our next step.

Make Reading Time FEEL GOOD

Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.
Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.At school, I have designated a corner of my room to my class library.  I brought in pillows, bean bags, a cozy rug, and made crate seats.  I have decided that I need additional beanbags and possibly a few large bathmats.  They're easy to move and allow kids to lay on the floor for reading. At home, we lofted my daughters bed to set up a comfortable area with a lounge chair, and this worked perfectly. In fact, the photo to the right shows how we set it up. 

Reading on the Fringe

Now, she is not one to sit for a long long time, and you may find that with your child/children. If so. you have to find time to "read on the fringes". By this, I mean any time you're waiting...for dinner, for appointments, in the car, or when your child is ready to go early. During school, if you have children who aren't reading much at home, we have to use the fringe time to get in the minutes at school. At school, this may be as you wait in the hall for your specials, when kids finish early, at the end of lessons when you have a few minutes til lunch, and while we wait for buses.

Early Morning Book Club

Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.
In addition to the suggestions shared so far, one new idea you might try is an Early Morning Book Club (or evening if that fits best in your schedule).  At the Virginia State Reading Conference last spring, I learned about this idea in one of the sessions. Jeff Gunhus, the presenter, shared how he used this strategy to inspire his son, Jackson, and I just loved it.  He and Jackson met several days a week an hour earlier than normal to have special time for just the two of them to read together.  He set it up with a great cup of coffee and hot chocolate, a comfy place on the sofa in front of the fire, and a book that could not be put down.  The big rule...the book could only be read together and only during book club.  That gave the motivation for both to get up to find out what happens next.  Here are the suggestions he shared with us, and I share them with you with his permission.
Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.
If you are a Title 1 school and wish to offer this to your families, Jeff has put together a very inexpensive book about it and other ways to engage "reluctant" readers at home (less than $1.99). More information can be found on Amazon.

 Once my youngest got hooked, I encouraged her to start a blog for book reviews. She loves to write, so this seemed to be a natural progression especially since I blog. She liked that idea, and she's now hooked. She gives me book lists for birthday and Christmas gifts, and she loves reading paperbacks as well as on her kindle. 

If you found this post interesting and/or helpful, please share your ideas in the comments.  We need a deep pocket of tricks for kids that haven't become wild readers yet.  I am determined that my daughter's experience can be the same experience for others who are turned off to reading, and when I can't find a way to reach a child, I'm not afraid to ask for additional ideas and help.  None of us have all the answers, and kids are just so unique. If this sounds like you, don't give up. Try what you hear and if that doesn't work, look for another option. If something doesn't hit right away, don't hesitate to try it again later, and by all means, enlist the help of your colleagues, friends, and your child's teacher.

For Additional Posts You Might Like:

Wanting to build a reading routine? Start with room set up. In this post, you'll get ideas for creating warm and fuzzy reading nooks  Turn out the lights and turn on reading engagement with Flashlight Fridays!
Do your students love book projects? Check out this post for 10 ideas you can use to spark reading motivation!


Do you have a reluctant reader in your home or classroom? This post includes suggestions for turning that reluctant reader into an avid reader in just a few steps.

4 comments

  1. I am a home educator and run a small book club in a home education group. Some of the children are avid readers but the group includes a child with significant dyslexia and another less keen reader. Obviously, reading aloud in the group wouldn't work. The children either read or have read the main book, at home. However, what seems to appeal to all the children is the chance to make book recommendations to the others. These recommendations can be of books in any format. When another child reads a recommended book there are rewards for the child who recommends and the child who reads. Interestingly, the child with dyslexia has done particularly well with this scheme perhaps, as the books they recommend are shorter.

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    1. Oh absolutely! Book talks are excellent for increasing motivation to read. I would agree with oral reading unless it's one on one. Round Robin hasn't been a recommended practice for a while now. Instead, simultaneously whisper reading is preferred if the child needs to vocalize. Once kids are fluent, they typically prefer silent reading. Glad the book club idea has been so successful in your home. I enjoyed running one in the summer and highly recommend that for maintenance.

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  2. Check out Bookopolis as another place to look for good books. It's Goodreads for kids. Kids can read and write book reviews, keep a wishlist, etc. It's a great resource. And free!

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    1. Oh thank you for the reminder! One of our bloggers, Emily wrote a post about Bookopolis a while back if others want to see how to set it up.

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