“Reading Together” project
A year-long reading project in which each class sets its own goal and decides how to show it.
Project goal
We want students to read for themselves, not for a grade. That is why we don't impose a number of books or a list of titles. Each class sets its own reading goal for the school year.
Students treat a goal they set together as their own. This makes it easier to talk about books, recommend them to each other and discover new authors.
Who it is for
The project includes all Grades 1–8 and the pre-school classes. Older students read to the youngest, and the older classes choose books for their goal themselves.
A year in the project
September
Class goal
During the form period the class sets its goal and chooses how to record it: a book map, presentations, reviews or a game.
October – May
Reading and progress checks
Classes work towards their goal and check their progress once a month. Older students read to children in the pre-school classes once a week.
Autumn and spring
Author visits
Twice a year we invite a children's author. Their books are in the library a few weeks beforehand.
April
World Book Day
The whole school swaps books by the library. Everyone can bring one book and choose another.
June
Showcase
Classes show how they achieved their goal at the school project showcase.
Example class goals
Goals differ depending on the students' age. Here are examples that worked well in previous years.
| Grade | Purpose | How we show the result |
|---|---|---|
| II | read 30 picture books together | a map of books read on the wall |
| III | everyone reads a book about animals and talks about it | short presentations to the class |
| 4 | discover an author nobody knew before | a class list of recommended books |
| 5 | read one book and turn it into a board game | a game made by the students |
| 7 | one review from each person | a review column in the school newspaper |
| 8 | a book that helps in choosing a school or a career | a class guide to books |
Whole-school activities
- Book swap shelf by the library – take a book and leave another, with no sign-out or return date.
- Reading aloud – older students read to children in the pre-school classes once a week.
- Author visits – twice a year, with the author's books available in the library beforehand.
- Book swap – every year on World Book Day.
Outcomes
Every class sets and achieves its own goal each year. Library loans are rising, and the book swap shelf has become one of the most visited places in the school.
The project in numbers
What we have learned
Quality goals work better than quantity goals. “Everyone will find an author they like” achieves more than “we'll read a hundred books”. That is why we help classes choose a goal they can reach and will be happy with.
We turned one book into a board game. To come up with the questions I had to read it a second time, and only then did I really like it.
Every day my son tells me how many books have been added to the class map. At home he reminds us himself that it's time for bedtime reading.
Ewa Szymańska, teacher librarian – project coordinator
Visit the school library during its opening hours.