Paper Diamonds

If you know me, you know that my heart pumps printer’s ink. I am all about literacy, both in my professional and in my personal life. Being the book nerd that I am, my job as a literacy coach is like getting up and going to the carnival every day. I love what I do. Every day is fun. Every day. And today I loved it even more.

My work in a high-poverty elementary school brings its own set of challenges. Many of our kids have tough lives outside of school. Housing instability, food insecurities, imprisoned parents, and the chronic stress that goes with poverty all take their toll on the kids I pass in the hall every day. You can see it. You can feel it in the acting-out behaviors that send a steady stream to the door of the principal’s office. I look at those faces and wonder what I can do. Wonder how I can help. So much need…

My looming dissertation will orbit around (wait for it….) literacy, so about a year ago I asked our principal if we could try something at our school. I have these theories about literacy and the ability of a really good book to lower stress levels, inspire the hopeless, model determination and grit through a well-crafted story line, and build community among our children. It’s all that printer’s ink flowing in my veins. It makes me incredibly optimistic and annoyingly passionate. There’s a pretty impressive mountain of research to back most of those ideas, too.

And so…

… shortly after Christmas break, a cadre of fellow teachers and I hung mysterious posters around the hallways, built suspense to the point of some really funny theories being tossed around, and launched our first ever, after-school Book Club.

Our objectives were simple. Let’s get into small groups and talk about the books we love. We hoped it would fan the flames of literacy-love for those students already active readers (those that read for pleasure outside of school hours). And maybe, just maybe, we might pull a kid or two into the fold that was sitting on the fence. We also wanted to get books into the hands or our club members. Books to keep with no library due dates. Books they can read in bed while eating a PBJ sandwich. Books that will become a part of the fabric of their lives.

We appealed to our district’s philanthropic foundation about funding our venture. They were immediately on board. They asked if we had asked for enough and offered us more! We took it.

My principal warned me that anything held after school that required parent transportation might be an issue. Holy cow, he was right. I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say my team and I spent some long hours trying figure out how to get a kid or two home.

We had zero idea if there would be much interest or participation. We sent the permission letters home and waited. We were shocked when a full third of our student population returned with signed, green permission slips!

For ten weeks now we have met on Tuesdays, provided simple snacks, divided into (mostly) manageable groups, and talked about books. We didn’t require them to read specific books (choice is power), but let them bring the books they were most interested in. We teachers facilitating groups did the same. It always brought a smile to my face when one of the kids would share about their book-of-the-week and another kid in the group would pipe up, “I want to read that!” I keep a pretty substantial library in my office of my personal children's literature and I have had a steady stream of kids in and out my doors to borrow the books I mentioned during weekly club meetings.

I.absolutely.LOVE.that.

Tonight was our last club meeting for the year. Two weeks ago we gave out Scholastic fliers and let each member choose one book to order. Honestly, some of these kids have probably never been able to order from a Scholastic flyer. They were really excited. We surprised the members with a pizza party tonight, and gave out their chosen books. It was truly a celebration. The mood was festive and full of anticipation. The joy and laughter was infectious. I looked around at the library filled with kids and knew we had hit every one of our objectives. And a few we hadn’t dared to hope for.

There was the student who declared in the beginning he didn’t want to come but his mom made him. Two weeks ago he brought not one, but TWO books to share and nearly exploded waiting for his turn. There was the student who confessed that he is nervous about middle school next year and asked hopefully, “Do you think they’ll have a book club, Mrs. Dahl?”

Books change lives. I have never doubted that. Before we dismissed for the night, I asked the group if anyone wanted to share something they had enjoyed about book club. Hands went up all over the room. They liked having other people to talk to about books. They liked spending time with teachers outside of school hours. They liked being with their friends. (One kid whispered to me conspiratorially, “I just came for the snacks.” I’m cool with that). They liked hearing about other books. Every time I tried to shut down the comments, a frantic face would plead to be heard.

Most touching to me personally were the gifts handed me by these precious children. Wait. You brought me gifts?!? A juice box hoarded from a second-grader’s snack. A stunningly colored, intricately-cut, head from two fifth-grade girls. And an oddly-shaped, folded paper. I started to unfold it thinking there was a message inside. “No, Mrs. Dahl!” The fourth-grade boy stopped me. “There’s nothing inside.” He looked suddenly unsure of himself. “It’s…a diamond,” he finished softly. And so it was. These children have so little. They brought their tokens of appreciation for something that had apparently meant something to them.

I have high dreams for these kids. Maybe, just maybe, a book club will play a small part in helping them find theirs.