As part of our celebration around the 2016 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge, we're highlighting the stories of participating schools around the world. We have asked several schools to share with us how their school used the program to motivate students to keep reading all summer long.
We caught up with Sarah E. Ozuem (CLN), School Librarian at the Greenoak International School in Nigeria, who was featured in last year’s 2015 summer reading news round-up.
Greenoak International School ranked 21st globally in the Summer Reading Challenge! Learn what the school did to keep kids reading this summer for a second successful year.
Why did you register your school again for the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge?
There is need for teachers and librarians to constantly remind students of the importance of reading. I also wanted my students to be part of an internationally recognized reading program and, most importantly, to break our last year’s record. Beyond that, the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge will help children during the summer break to hone their reading skills and create room for independent reading.
How did you make sure your students were “reading superheroes” this summer?
Registered students were monitored closely to ensure effectiveness. Additionally, constant reminder notices on booklist titles and other reading materials were sent to students to motivate them to read more books. In order to stimulate a voracious reading appetite in our students, the progress of other students was tracked and announced in the reminders.
Did you do anything different from last year? Any tips to help other schools get kids reading?
This year, students from across all grades were registered for the program to ensure the whole school participated. I also appointed Scholastic representatives from each grade to serve as mediators between the students and me. Some of the library books were selected for students to read.
What were your students reading this summer? Any favorite books you noticed this year?
My students were particularly interested in reading mystery, comedy and horror books. I discovered that the lower graders (grade 7-9) were interested in the Beast Quest series, Fable Haven, Inheritance Circle, the Beautiful Creatures Series, Dork Diaries and the Princess Diaries Fame School Series, among others. The senior graders (10-12) read books on African literature, the Mortal Instrument series, the Infernal Devices series, and the Blood Feud Series - to mention a few.
How do you plan on celebrating your school for two years-in-a-row success?
Certificates of participation will be issued to all registered students and fantastic prizes will be awarded to deserving students who did exceptionally well during the competition – students who read above 10,000 minutes – during the school’s general assembly. Activities to be carried out include book report presentations and sharing success stories from students. The school reading success will be published on the school’s social media account and website.
Any tips for parents and educators to keep kids reading for fun all year long?
I will simply say that parents and educators need to know the kind of book that interests a child. That done, they should make the book available for the child to read. Moreover, students should be encouraged by both educators and parents to spend at least one hour or two reading at home every day in other for them to cultivate good reading habits.
Sarah E. Ozuem
