IRA14 All In! Presentation

For those of you who attended our session at IRA 2014, THANK YOU.  You were kind, supportive, and understanding.  You all gave us just the positive energy we needed to overcome our technical woes.  Below you will find the content from the slide show we'd planned.  Please enjoy, pass it along to your friends, and let us know how we can help you lead your school on your very own literary adventure.  Go All In!

 

All In!™

Uniting One School with One Book

 Mary Cotillo and Erin O'Leary

Horace Mann Middle School, Franklin MA

Abnegation Erin and Amity Mary

 Meet The Crazy Reading Ladies

Mary Cotillo is an 8th grade ELA teacher at HMMS.  She's been teaching middle school for 12 years. 

Erin O'Leary is the Reading Specialist at HMMS.  She has been teaching for 9 years. 

Wait...what do y'all do again?

The Crazy Reading Ladies:

• help adolescents become book lovers
• empower teachers to be leaders in their school
• break social barriers
• promote community engagement

We have the kids follow a simple formula:

1. Read the Book
2. Show What You Know
3. See the Movie 
4. Join the Adventure

 Why We Rock (no really...we do)

2012 - The Hunger Games
221 kids, 42% of the school
(We were expecting 30 kids...we didn't think to keep data on subgroups!)

2013 - The Hobbit
188 kids, 38% of the school
41% of students with IEPs and 100% of ReAch* 

2014 - Divergent
280 kids, 59% of the school
31% of students with IEPs and 75% of ReAch

*ReAch is our emotional and behavioral sub-separate program

Choose Wisely 
 
No pressure, but don't blow it.

• Likeability
• If the kids don't like it, they won't read it

• Visibility
• Don't underestimate the value of Hollywood merchandising

•  Potential
• Field Trip!
• Teachability (yeah, totally not a real word)
• Appropriateness for your demographic

 When in doubt...

Text complexity and daunting page counts are not roadblocks; they are accomplishments waiting to be celebrated. 





Build Excitement
Just Say No

How do you get kids to care about a book?

It's about drama, pure and simple; create a buzz among the students and a frenetic desire to know the title.

If you do it right...
(No, you can't have him.)

• Videos
• Teachers
• Contests
• Costumes
• Propoganda
• Mystery

Incentivize
"But...reading is its own reward!"

Let the kids lead.

Good thing we didn't read any research first!

Anecdotal (and Adorable Evidence)
Florida goes All In!




How Stinkin' Cute Is He?

The CRL Effect: 
Extrinsic begets Intrinsic

Although the movie gets them to pick up the book, it's the story that keeps them reading and the sense of accomplishment that gets them to read the sequel.  




Support and Encourage
"But extra time is on my IEP!"

• Structure - calendars, deadlines
• Audio books
• Physical books
• Discussion groups
• Reading groups
• Public Library
• Encourage parent read-alouds

Hey, look!
Portfolio evidence for parent engagement!

Public library events promote community and belonging.
"When she reads, it works its way through the family."




Celebrate!
I always thought the lyrics were "Celebrate good times! Go Home!"

Assessments as celebrations? You must be crazy!
Um...yeah. 

Give then an opportunity to show what they know and celebrate their accomplishment. 

Right Where We Belong

• Literary Soul Mates
• Seredipity
  
• Just do it!

@allinreading
@allincotillo
@allinoleary

Visit our Official Website: allinreading.org






 

All In! is a product of Overwhelming Success, Inc., an Educational Non-Profit