Atomic Reading Habits Part II:
Welcome to my second post all about helping students cultivate lifelong reading habits! If you are just tuning in, hop on over to this post to learn how reading James Clear’s novel, Atomic Habits, not only changed my life, but also changed the way I think about independent reading in my classroom.
While last week’s post focused on making books and reading an obvious part of your classroom culture, this week’s post is all about making reading attractive.
Make It Attractive.
Living in the world we do--one of curated Instagram feeds and airbrushed magazine photos--I think we can all understand the importance of making something look appealing in order to draw an audience in. As my mom always says, “The number one rule of gift-giving is pretty packaging!”
And it turns out, it isn’t just on social media or in gift baskets that looks matter! According to Atomic Habits author James Clear, “Desire is the engine that drives behavior. Every action is taken because of the anticipation that precedes it. It is the craving that leads to the response.” So while some habits are probably more likely to induce a craving than reading, we CAN make reading so attractive in our classrooms that students will be excited to pick up a book, settle down into a comfy spot, and read!
Tip #1:
As you could probably guess, my number one tip for making reading attractive in the classroom is setting up an inviting space for students to choose a book and read. Now, I have certainly spent more time and money on my library than I am willing to admit, BUT I can say that the payoff is HUGE. In fact, nothing makes me smile more than the ooos and ahhhs that come from students who enter my room for the first time.
Our library stands out in the room as a colorful, clean, and well-taken-care-of space. It draws students in with beautiful book displays and catchy titles. It holds fun knickknacks and class pictures that students love to peek at. And for students who are not wowed by any of the above, it has carpets and cushions and a bean bag. I am SELLING these books to kids, and I have to tell you, it works!
A few must-haves (in my experience):
- A few bins, bookends, or knickknacks to break up the space on shelves
- A sizeable selection of books in good condition
- Neat and dust-free shelves
- A few book stands to display titles
- Some comfy seating (carpet squares work just fine!)
Tip #2:
Create a classroom display around reading. It might be seasonal book displays and decor, a space that shows all the titles you’ve read, or a creative bulletin board!
Last year, I tried a new display with pictures of students reading at home (or school) in a cozy spot! Many included their pets or siblings in the photos, and then they wrote a little Instagram post about it. Students were consistently at that back board, checking out the photos and books their peers had read. It was so fun!
Tip #3:
Spread the reading love! YOU are one of the most powerful tools in your classroom for making reading attractive. Show the students, through your tone, affect, and smiling face just how much reading matters to you. My students know that I light up when I talk about books, and honestly, I think they get excited to share in the magic with me! You can do the same. No money or materials required!
That wraps up making reading attractive!
Stay tuned for the next two weeks of blog posts, which will continue to give you easy, practical, and actionable tips to help your middle school students build a reading habit, find books they love, and enjoy the process!
♥ RileyReadsYA ♥