Mr. Cornell's Dream Boxes by Jeanette Winter

Each member brings a different perspective, different knowledge of titles, and unique thoughts on ways that the students can demonstrate their learning. Some suggested members depending on the staff makeup of your school include a building administrator, library media specialist, counselor, literacy coach and/or reading specialist, teacher representatives from varying grade levels, and a parent. In order to do so, schools need to gather a group of diverse staff members who are committed to reading multiple titles and reflecting on the potential of each title for students.

The success of a school-wide Book of the Month program relies on the careful selection of texts. When all students and adults in a school share a common experience around literature, it helps to not only unify and create a literacy learning community, but to provide a shared experience for all students while emphasizing the behaviors and habits of mind schools want students to emulate. The idea behind a school-wide Book of the Month, or as it’s called in some schools, a Principal’s Book of the Month, is that each month every student in a school has the opportunity to read a common text, and engage in learning, thinking, and responding to that shared text. One such initiative is a school-wide Book of the Month program. One such way is through purposeful school-wide initiatives centered on quality learning experiences for all students.

With the implementation of well-written, vertically aligned standards, schools have the unique opportunity to find innovative ways to bring learning to life for students.

There is a common misconception that by having common standards, teachers and schools lose the ability to be creative in their approach to teaching those standards. Literature triggers thoughts, unlocks memories, and helps create the kind of community in which it’s safe to tell our stories. Literature plays a key role in helping children’s voices take the floor.

Mr. Cornell's Dream Boxes by Jeanette Winter