Hi Mike. You're doing some great stuff with your blog, your library and your kids. How very different our schools are, but our goal is the same... to get boys to read! I'd love to write something for your blog. Do you have something particular in mind or do you just want me to "go for it".
My gmail is di.laycock@gmail.com. Something on boys and graphic novels would be fine. I did an action research project a couple of years ago on using manga Shakespeare... the results were very encouraging and now we have a graphic novel as a text for all 300 boys in Year 7 (the first year of high school).
I enjoyed reading your blog. Your goal to target motivating boys' reading is commendable. I agree that boys enjoy reading some of the titles mention: Captain Underpants, Magic Tree House series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. In fact, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series sold out at my Book Fair, week before last; the boys were the majority purchasers of the Wimpy Kid titles!!! In order to accommodate all the children, particularly boys, clambering for the Wimpy Kid series, we had to put in a second order for these specific titles.
Also, Gay Paulsen is a favorite "Boy Writer" and boys usually like his titles. Other titles off the top of my head which come to mind that boys like are Bridge to Terabithia; The Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective series; the Scary Stories series and of course, car books, sport titles, books about animals, especially snakes and spiders; drawing books; I spy books; and any book that is ghostly, scary, weird and/or books about unexplained phenomenon. The boys at my school also tend to like books about science and biography of favorite heroes in history and sports.
Thumbs up to your approach to the library! I also like to aim for a great place to be and grow. At my school in Jersey, we became the chess and Electronic Gaming Magazine hang out. Here in CI, we had a Cafe Literaire in our library, one day each week during International School Libraries Month, and it was a lot of fun. Modeled after Barnes and Nobles and Borders Books. Unfortunately, our space is a little too tight (and the cockroaches a little too big!) for that to become a fixture, but it did wonders for bringing some life to the library.
Love your blog, too! One of the orphanages is a boys school, so I am sure I'll be studying it in the months to come.
haven't been as active as I should be. Probably because I caught the Facebook but and have been spending my online time there. But... I'll be better I promise. You are such a role model.
Hi Sir Librarian
Thanks for your very warm welcome in inviting me in facebook. Actually, soon to sign in in that site. As of now, im also connected with a friendster. If you want too, i would like to invite you also in this friendly site. If so, my name here is ian_irish2007@yahoo.com.
Presently, im working here for 17 yrs in this academic college library. i learn many works, challenges, and many others things not be known when im still a student, that library works are very silent but challenging works too.
Regards to your family. GOD bless.
Hi Mike,
Nice to connect with you - your role sounds challenging! I am keen to increase the number of students reading particularly the boys - its not seen as cool to read.
Our library is very traditional in its appearance. I have been there 2 years now and have been working on the culture to make it more friendly and accessible to students - a long way from letting food into the library though! I am in a k - 12 setting and as the sole t-l feel very stretched across the whole school - trying to stay up with curriculum and work with students across the college.
I am in the midst of my Master's Degree and will reconnect with boys and literacy ideas when I have completed my next assignment - it has been a lovely diversion answering your message.
Howdy Mike
Thanks for the link to your blog - interesting reading.
Am very interested in boys and reading so will be watching with interest - hope I can contribute too. Am most interested in how boys seem to switch off to reading in middle school (years 9 and 10).
Cheers
Elizabeth
Thanks for your message. Yes, I would love to learn more about it and help my boys at school to love and enjoy to read. Do you have any recommended books for grade 5 boys I can give them for their summer reading list?
So good of you to get back to me on this....i'd actually forgotten that i posed a question or comment re boys and reading and was pleasantly surprised when i saw you pop up on my laptop. I can't even find the original thread!
Yes, i work in a private boys' secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire in the uk. the boys are quite good, in that apart from their built in reading sessions (years 1 and 2) they will actually borrow and read for leisure. I will be attending a workshop next month about setting up a reading club in schools, i'm quite excited about it.
I will check out your website.....and find you on facebook.
Thanks again.
Hi Mike.
Thanks for finding me! I look forward to sharing ideas on getting guys to read. I had a Wed. morning boys only group a while back and loved it. One 8th grader told me after reading How Angel Peterson Got His Name, that it was the first book he had ever finished. And he wanted another suggestion! I would also be interested in a book discussion as a culminating activity via Skype. I'm going to visit your site and am now following your Tweets.
I checked out your site. It's awesome. My blog is dedicated to using movement in education. That's a great way to get boys invovlved. Check out my blog and free monthly newsletter for ideas. Maybe we can feature a story about each other. http://educationtipster.blogspot.com
Your website is wonderful! You're doing a great job with your alternative school library, especially for the boys. Additionally, having a man as a role model, someone who enjoys books, reading, and learning, is absolutely a real plus for them. I'll look forward to learning more from you and hope I can occasionally contribute to your body of good advice. My school is a small private school grades 3-12 where all the students are either golf or tennis athletes. They come from all over the world to train here with Saddlebrook coaches. So, we have additional challenges like varying English language abilities and the fact that they all train for their sport 4 hours a day. Plus, they miss school for tournaments and have to make up work. Because they are all athletes, they are all very active and less interested in sitting still to read. We have fewer girls than boys, but they are all so focused on their sport that it is difficult to get them to read for pleasure. Your ideas will hopefully be good for business here in the library. Thanks for inviting me to your network.
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In an ongoing effort to recruit a new generation of school library leaders, Mansfield University recently received a fifth Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) grant to fund scholarships for its totally online School Library & Information Technologies Master of Education degree program with school library certification. If you know of an educator or non-certified librarian seeking school library certification, please pass along the news that we are still accepting applications for the spring 2012 semester.
The Master of Education program, ideally suited for working educators
with no time to drive to a university, offers a convenient and effective path to school library certification. For detailed information and contacts please refer to the Fulfilling the Promise homepage, at http://libweb.mansfield.edu/promise/, or contact Cynthia Keller, Department Chair ckeller@mansfield.edu
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Mike McQueen's Comments
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Thanks for inviting me to be one of your friends!
I enjoyed reading your blog. Your goal to target motivating boys' reading is commendable. I agree that boys enjoy reading some of the titles mention: Captain Underpants, Magic Tree House series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid. In fact, The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series sold out at my Book Fair, week before last; the boys were the majority purchasers of the Wimpy Kid titles!!! In order to accommodate all the children, particularly boys, clambering for the Wimpy Kid series, we had to put in a second order for these specific titles.
Also, Gay Paulsen is a favorite "Boy Writer" and boys usually like his titles. Other titles off the top of my head which come to mind that boys like are Bridge to Terabithia; The Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective series; the Scary Stories series and of course, car books, sport titles, books about animals, especially snakes and spiders; drawing books; I spy books; and any book that is ghostly, scary, weird and/or books about unexplained phenomenon. The boys at my school also tend to like books about science and biography of favorite heroes in history and sports.
Thumbs up to your approach to the library! I also like to aim for a great place to be and grow. At my school in Jersey, we became the chess and Electronic Gaming Magazine hang out. Here in CI, we had a Cafe Literaire in our library, one day each week during International School Libraries Month, and it was a lot of fun. Modeled after Barnes and Nobles and Borders Books. Unfortunately, our space is a little too tight (and the cockroaches a little too big!) for that to become a fixture, but it did wonders for bringing some life to the library.
Love your blog, too! One of the orphanages is a boys school, so I am sure I'll be studying it in the months to come.
Thanks for your inivtation. Your site is amazing, with so many great ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Urania
Thanks for your very warm welcome in inviting me in facebook. Actually, soon to sign in in that site. As of now, im also connected with a friendster. If you want too, i would like to invite you also in this friendly site. If so, my name here is ian_irish2007@yahoo.com.
Presently, im working here for 17 yrs in this academic college library. i learn many works, challenges, and many others things not be known when im still a student, that library works are very silent but challenging works too.
Regards to your family. GOD bless.
Nice to connect with you - your role sounds challenging! I am keen to increase the number of students reading particularly the boys - its not seen as cool to read.
Our library is very traditional in its appearance. I have been there 2 years now and have been working on the culture to make it more friendly and accessible to students - a long way from letting food into the library though! I am in a k - 12 setting and as the sole t-l feel very stretched across the whole school - trying to stay up with curriculum and work with students across the college.
I am in the midst of my Master's Degree and will reconnect with boys and literacy ideas when I have completed my next assignment - it has been a lovely diversion answering your message.
Be back sometime at the end of June.
Regards,
Beryl
Thanks for the link to your blog - interesting reading.
Am very interested in boys and reading so will be watching with interest - hope I can contribute too. Am most interested in how boys seem to switch off to reading in middle school (years 9 and 10).
Cheers
Elizabeth
Cheers
Julie
Thanks for your message. Yes, I would love to learn more about it and help my boys at school to love and enjoy to read. Do you have any recommended books for grade 5 boys I can give them for their summer reading list?
So good of you to get back to me on this....i'd actually forgotten that i posed a question or comment re boys and reading and was pleasantly surprised when i saw you pop up on my laptop. I can't even find the original thread!
Yes, i work in a private boys' secondary school in St Albans, Hertfordshire in the uk. the boys are quite good, in that apart from their built in reading sessions (years 1 and 2) they will actually borrow and read for leisure. I will be attending a workshop next month about setting up a reading club in schools, i'm quite excited about it.
I will check out your website.....and find you on facebook.
Thanks again.
Boys and reading wahts that , especially 11, 12 yr old boys. Any ideas welcomed. Will get around to checking out your blog.
Thanks Julie
Thanks for finding me! I look forward to sharing ideas on getting guys to read. I had a Wed. morning boys only group a while back and loved it. One 8th grader told me after reading How Angel Peterson Got His Name, that it was the first book he had ever finished. And he wanted another suggestion! I would also be interested in a book discussion as a culminating activity via Skype. I'm going to visit your site and am now following your Tweets.
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Mansfield University Scholarship Program – Begin in January 2012
In an ongoing effort to recruit a new generation of school library leaders, Mansfield University recently received a fifth Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS) grant to fund scholarships for its totally online School Library & Information Technologies Master of Education degree program with school library certification. If you know of an educator or non-certified librarian seeking school library certification, please pass along the news that we are still accepting applications for the spring 2012 semester.
The Master of Education program, ideally suited for working educators
with no time to drive to a university, offers a convenient and effective path to school library certification. For detailed information and contacts please refer to the Fulfilling the Promise homepage, at http://libweb.mansfield.edu/promise/, or contact Cynthia Keller, Department Chair ckeller@mansfield.edu
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