PART TWO: THE METHOD

Summary
Rafe Esquith discusses the methods that he uses in his classroom that are successful. Although Rafe is a fifth grade teacher, it was not too difficult to mold Rafe's ideas to fit the secondary classroom. The format for the monthly book reports that Rafe uses with his students is a very effective way to assess and improve students' reading and writing skills. This is outlined on pages 55-58 of the text. One of the most important aspects of this section that was discussed was the importance and desire to start a book club, or several book clubs, for students, supervised by teachers after school. I plan to begin a literary book club next year that would be open to all students 8-12. Kathleen plans to read and discuss Rich Dad, Poor Dad with interested students. Bonnie and Jill are interested in starting a movie club as well next year. This would allow the opportunity for students to discover films they wouldn't normally view on their own and have an arena for discussing these films. We also discussed other arenas outside of the classroom that we could use to extend learning. A Shakespearean Festival or other event could be planned to extend learning and allow students to collaborate with peers and teachers outside of the classroom.

Quotes from part two
"I want my students to love to read. Reading is not a subject. Reading is a foundation of life, an activity that people who are engaged with the world do all the time" (Esquith 33).

"Children--even very bright ones--need guidance. Whether they are selecting food or literature, kids need our leadership to help them find the right path. I am not smarter than my students. But I know more than they do because I am older than they are. I know about fabulous books that they might not yet have come across. It is my job as their mentor to put these books in their hands" (Esquith 34-35).

"The best way to combat the indifference that surrounds our children is to take them to places where intelligence, enthusiasm, and a joy for reading are standard operating procedure" (Esquith 36). Or better yet, create this atmosphere in your own classroom!

"One of the misconceptions young people have today is that reading is something we study only during English class. This notion is absurd and must be countered. I've found that one of the best ways to do this is for all teachers to start book clubs" (Esquith 40).

"Young people who read for pleasure are able to make connections with the world around them and eventually grow to understand themselves on levels they never thought possible" (Esquith 42).