Silent Reading

I was coerced into running the Book Club at school. It's a pretty thankless job, when you think about it. Running an after-school club that feels like a class... getting kids excited about literature when they have a tough time as it is. Getting shy students talking... What did I agree to?

We started club time without any novels. I am new and the school hasn't really built up a library of books for lit clubs (they might have one or two copies of a book, but not 8-10). So it was rough going at the start. Then club was cancelled for 3 weeks (first for flu shots, then for exam week, finally for an all-school meeting). Today, we were back in business. 

And two of the eight students showed up.

It was me and two boys in a room. Preparing to read The Kite Runner. And they wouldn't stop giggling. No reason why, just giggling. Ahh, high-schoolers.

So, they look nervous and shy as I talk about reading books. I explain keeping up with the main events and how to use sticky notes to make notes. I explain questions and predictions and reader response. They giggle. And it's loud outside. We are three people in a mostly empty room with a lot of hard surfaces perfect for bouncing sound around. We're also next door to the loudest class in the school. Oof. Is it ever loud.

Finally, I ask how they want to read. Aloud, silently, should I read to them? They choose silently. OK. I leave the room for a minute, to let them calm down, and grab some tea. 

When I come back in the room, they are quietly reading. They are immersed in their books. I pick up a book and start reading along with them. The noise in the background dies away. Occasionally, one of them snickers a little -- there are a couple of bad words early on in the book -- so I can tell where they are at. Occasionally, one of them reaches over to see how far along the other one is. I show them where I'm at -- and they are amazed. Then we go back to reading.

Before we know it, our hour is up and the bell is ringing. They don't drop the book and run away. They slowly finish where they're at and then stand up. 

Maybe Book Club isn't such a thankless job after all.