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SNN: Wyoming Class Library

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schoolnewsnetwork.org

Sometimes all it takes is the right story….and one inspiring teacher…to turn students away from their phones and screens and onto a world between the covers of actual books. 

A Wyoming Junior High classroom is a testament to the power of words. English teacher Katie Sluiter’s encourages eighth-graders to choose from her library of 1,000 popular works. It’s a collection that keeps on growing.

Through blogging and writing for an educational website, she connects with fellow teachers worldwide. She created an Amazon Wish List of popular Young Adult books so people could donate to her classroom.

All that happened five year ago and since then, books have been coming in from all over the world. It opened up a whole new world of reading to her students and added to her own teaching strategies. Students are given time to read books of their choice in class. They form book clubs, listen to Tuesday Book Talks on their teacher’s blog. They’ve even tried Book Speed Dating to find books that are a perfect match for them. The idea is to help students succeed in school and life, and to get reluctant readers reading.

To help all students, including special education students, graphic novels and audiobooks are also in the library. Her students have become stronger readers and stronger writers.

You can link to her Book Talk Tuesday blog and read about more Rockstar Teachers at School News Network dot org.

Joy Walczak reporting.

Sluiter’s Book Talk Tuesday blog