I have worked in schools where there were mandatory reading times at the beginning of certain classes.  I witnessed several students pretending to read or spending most of the time searching for something to read that occupied most of the time period.  I like the idea of the whole school stopping everything and having everyone read, including staff.  It is so powerful for students to see and be part of something larger that includes all of the adults around them. 

 

Young people respond favorably to being in a situation where adults demonstrate positive, social behaviors because they enjoy them.  One of my favorite parts of this video was when the staff took several students to the people working in the cafe to talk about books and reading with them.  The women working behind the counter were excited to share what they enjoy reading.  The students were engaged when they realized that adults also like to read some of the same books that they do.  

 

I would like to do this in my preK-8th grade school.  Some of the students who do not read regularly or who are resistant to reading would be positively influenced to give it a try, and they would likely get involved after a while. 

This video confirms my very strong conviction that cultivating strong readers is a major part of our calling as teachers. I love the DEAR program, but even without the context of school, I encourage parents to read "The Book Whisperer" and help their child "awaken the inner reader." Before the start of school I told a new family that their boys would need to read 40 books for me this year. I got the deer-in-the-headlights look. Today the boys were chattering excitedly about the books I had given them to read. It made my day! I love being a book whisperer! Modeling is so important. If I am not an avid reader, how can I expect my kids to be?