"Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com"
About Recreational Reading
Here at Magothy River Middle School we have a special reading program called Recreational Reading. Our Recreational Reading program depends upon the dedicated support of our parent volunteers. Please read the overview of our program (located below) and consider volunteering your time to help out with Recreational Reading this year.
Overview:
On Book Talk Day, students visit the Media Center with their language arts teacher. Once there, the Media Specialist “book talks” five books from which students select a favorite. The class is then divided into groups depending on the novel each student has selected. The books are then checked out to the students and the students will get about three weeks to read the book they chose. In three weeks, the students will come back to the Media Center for Book Discussion Day.
On Book Discussion Day, students come to the Media Center to meet with a Discussion Leader. Discussion Leaders are volunteers that have read an assigned “Book Talk Book” and have agreed to lead a discussion of the book with a small group of students. Discussion Leaders are encouraged to prepare questions for the book they read, however, already prepared questions are available for most titles. The teacher accompanies the class and he/she and the Media Specialist circulate among the groups to moderate any behavior problems, evaluate the students’ effort, etc. The book discussions usually last forty to forty-five minutes. We schedule at least two sessions per year for selected levels of sixth and seventh grade classes. Every student in the class is required to participate and will receive a grade.
Advantages of the Program
· Aside from the main objective of having students read for pleasure, this program also exposes them, through book talks and peer recommendations, to other books they may want to read
· Students will see that adults, both parents and teachers, value leisure reading
· Students may recognize that reading for pleasure is fun and choose to do it on their own
· Students may become familiar with popular Young Adult authors, and choose to read more works by a particular author
· Families may choose to encourage reading as a leisure activity
Mandatory Orientation for Recreational Reading
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We can’t wait to get started with this year’s Recreational Reading Program and we know that you feel the same way too! There will be a mandatory orientation session held for all Recreational Reading volunteers who are new to the program or interested in joining the program. This orientation session will be held on September 23rd at 7 pm the media center. If you are unable to attend this orientation session, don’t worry. We will gladly meet with you at another time to fill you in on what you missed. However, if possible, please arrange your schedule so that you can attend the group orientation session as it is the most comprehensive presentation of the program. Remember, all Recreational Reading volunteers must be trained before participating in the program! Thank you for your cooperation and enthusiasm!
Sincerely,
Amanda McDowell