Motivating
Readers
One Book
at a Time
Research has shown that students who are most susceptible to the summer slide often
lack the motivation to read. During the summer months there are no teachers to check up
on them. However, they do have the Shaker Library, which helps to support the progress
they’ve made in reading in school so it doesn’t diminish over the summer. The Library
wants to turn a student’s summer slide into a summer glide into the next school year!
The motivation to read is essential. Children who learn to like reading, think they
are good at it, and see it as a valuable use of their time will read more and develop better
proficiency and comprehension. The Library’s summer reading program is meant to
motivate young readers and to show them that reading is fun. Whimsical decorations and
displays are designed to appeal to young readers to draw them into the Library, where
supportive librarians encourage them to read.
For many children, the best part of summer reading is that there are no
assignments. Any kind of reading counts:
books, magazines, audiobooks, comics,
graphic novels, internet articles, the back
of the cereal box. Reading is reading.
Library staff look forward to helping
children find just the right books to
spark their interest. This excitement
translates into motivation, and motivation
encourages more reading.
This summer’s reading program,
A Universe of Stories, is designed to
motivate children of all ages to dream big,
believe in themselves, and create their
own stories. From May 28 to September 1,
school-age children will have opportunities
to read to earn beads and brag tags to
create a unique Summer Reading necklace.
24 SPRING 2019 | WWW.SHAKER.LIFE
Celebrating Shaker High School Student Artwork
“This art work is amazing.” “High school students made this jewelry?” “We never had art
opportunities like this when I was in high school.” “I look forward to this show every year.”
These are just a few of the positive comments to Art Exposed, the annual student
exhibit held at Main Library every May since 2010. The Library is a center for learning
and cultural enrichment. Art Exposed exemplifies this role.
On May 10, the Library will celebrate 10 years of collaborating with the Shaker
Heights High School Art Department when Art Exposed X: The Inner Workings of
An Art Department opens. It runs from 6:30-8 pm at Main Library. The show begins
Shaker
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While building a necklace is
appealing and fun, it is also
motivating and encouraging
as each child expresses him or
herself creatively.
New this summer, readers
of all ages can track their
summer reading with
Beanstack, an online
tool that “gamifies”
reading to keep readers
motivated. Using an
interactive mobile app
or website, Beanstack
keeps track of the time
spent reading and the books
children and families have read.
Digital badges reward reading
accomplishments. It’s like a
fitbit for reading. It even offers
suggestions and allows participants to
read and write shareable reviews.
Sign up for Beanstack online
at shakerlibrary.beanstack.org, and
download the mobile app from iTunes or
Google Play. Then plan to get motivated
and join in the family fun as the Library
kicks off summer reading from 6-8 pm
Thursday, June 6 at Main Library with
the Sounds of Summer, an event for all
ages that celebrates art, music, books,
and reading.
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/shakerlibrary.org
/shakerlibrary.beanstack.org