Summer Reading...Had Me a Blast -- Upper School

This is the final part about how my school conducts summer reading for our students.  The first two  parts discussed the lower and middle schools, and today we'll talk about the upper school.

Upper school summer reading has had many different looks through the years.  There have been all school reads, books required for every class, optional only books, and books sponsored by teachers.  All have met with varying degrees of success.  Each year our upper school librarian tweaks the program, and each year it gets better.  It's difficult to strike that balance between reading for curricular purposes and reading to encourage lifelong habits. 

Determining the how to access summer reading has always been an issue for our faculty.  Many faculty worry that if the students aren't accessed on their summer reading then they won't read.  But if boys are to be tested on what they read, then why would anyone read a book in June that they'll be tested on in September?  Summer reading becomes late August reading, and it makes me wonder exactly what are we trying to encourage here.

Each student reads a required book for his English class, and some of the AP classes have additional books required.  This is fairly standard and commonplace among independent schools.  This is accessed in English class in the fall.

Now comes the brilliant part.  Each boy is also required to read a faculty sponsored book.  All of the faculty members have sponsored a book.  The librarian has collated all of the information and posted it on the US Summer Reading LibGuide.  The boys sign up for a book using SignUpGenius.  Sign ups close out once the predetermined number of students have signed up for the book.  In the fall the faculty will meet with the boys who have signed up for their book for a discussion.  This allows the boys choice, assures quality literature is being read, and assessment is done informally through discussion.  Brilliant!