Book club gives back to students and community
Released: April 10, 2008
Stacy Kreuziger leads Whitewater Middle
School students in a book club discussion.
Go ahead and ask yourself when the last time you read a book for pleasure. Not a book for class, research or to better your chances of tackling an interview. When did people stop taking the time to read books for their own enjoyment?
This semester, Lecturer and Elementary Education Coordinator Deborah Bowditch and 28 students from her Reading 460 class have taken on the task of bringing the pleasure back into reading for Whitewater Middle School students. Bowditch has asked students "what is it you wish you had more of" and their answer is repeatedly, "more time in the schools."
Bowditch, along with Whitewater Middle School Principal Eric Runez developed a book club focused on enjoyment for students who want to read. "I am very pleased to partner with the university for the book club," Runez said. "It is a great opportunity to have middle students interact with college students and it is a great medium to encourage students to read and discuss reading."
"Studies have shown that middle school is where students lose the pleasure in their reading," Bowditch said. "They are focused on content, not enjoyment, this will also encourage lifelong reading for pleasure."
The book club runs for five weeks during the semester with two weeks of prep work for the college students. Throughout the five weeks, the students group together and have six book options to read: "Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer, "Dreamland" by Sarah Dessen, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J. K. Rowling, "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld and Rodrigo Corral, "Free Horse" by Sharon Siamon, and "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. There is also a group focused on current events or issues that are important to students.
"The focus of the book club is enjoyment," Bowditch said. "We are not assigning the students homework. If they don't have time to get to the reading at night, it doesn't mean they can not still come to book club and talk."
"This also gives future educators first-hand experience interacting with middle school students," Runez Added. "It gives them the opportunity to lead meaningful discussions."
In the classroom, Bowditch is using this experience to show the difference between teaching the students and being involved with students. "Everything is referenced back to book club in my classes," Bowditch added. She is positive that with such great turn out and feedback with the middle school students and her students, the book club will continue.
Burtness Chevrolet of Whitewater donated the books for all of the students. The book clubs meet 7:15 to 8 a.m. on Monday and Wednesday mornings at Whitewater Middle School. Plans have tentatively begun for next fall's book club, anyone interested in donating monetary contributions are encouraged to contact Deb Bowditch at 262- 472-1479 or at bowditcd@uww.edu.
- Laura Plamann,plamannle06@uww.edu
