Spring cleaning leads to spring reading

by Jessica Martell

With Marie Kondo’s juggernaut, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, recently adapted to a Netflix original, and books like The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning on the New York Times best seller list, it’s no surprise people are ready to clean house.  What is surprising, is one of the possible beneficiaries of this cleaning frenzy sweeping the nation: classroom libraries.

In the last two months, one classroom library at Stockbridge Jr/Sr High School has accepted more than 50 donated books from people wanting them to find new purpose in the hands of young readers. Tracy Dunford was the first to reach out, asking if our libraries were accepting donations.

When asked what prompted her donations, Dunford said, “I feel like teachers have much more of an appreciation of books. I felt like I had so many different kinds to offer, and I thought just maybe a student would benefit from reading some of the books I donated.”     

The benefits of classroom libraries are well-documented. In 2017, the National Council of Teachers of English released an official statement: “Classroom libraries—physical or virtual—play a key role in providing access to books and promoting literacy; they have the potential to increase student motivation, engagement, and achievement and help students become critical thinkers, analytical readers, and informed citizens.  As English language arts educators, we know that no book is right for every student, and classroom libraries offer ongoing opportunities for teachers to work with students as individuals to find books that will ignite their love for learning, calm their fears, answer their questions, and improve their lives in any of the multiple ways that only literature can.”

Locally, we’ve seen the magic of classroom libraries.  Many people mistakenly think that reading has become passe among young people in this high-tech, fast-paced world, but books have actually become a welcome refuge for many young people to escape the pressure and anxiety of their everyday lives.  

English Department Chair Elizabeth Cyr stated, “Since we started classroom libraries, my wall stacks have become a place for kids to talk about ideas and stories. They swap titles, they share favorites, they ask for recommendations. It’s like a fortress to escape to that holds out the rest of the noise. It’s a place where they delve into books for long periods of time, providing peace of mind in their overly-digital, screen-based, notification-hounding lives. I can tell they are craving these opportunities, so we are building a community around it.”  

Pam Gower has also seen the benefits of housing text collections in the classroom, “My classroom library creates momentum for individual readers because they can see and checkout the next book on their list immediately.  

It also creates buzz since students and teacher “book talk” books and pass books to each other regularly and joyfully.” In my own classroom, where I teach both biology and English classes, I’ve had several biology students, knowing I have the library because of my English classes, ask if they’re allowed to check out books from my library too.  

In the summer of 2017, former Stockbridge Jr/Sr High teacher, Alaina Feliks, obtained an SAEF grant to launch classroom libraries in all English classrooms at the high school. The district curriculum cycle continued the initiative by allocating yearly funds to grow the libraries with high-interest, relevant texts. The English teachers also stock their shelves with titles from their own collections. However, even with these investments, it’s difficult to keep up with trending titles and the rate at which students devour the works of their favorite authors.

If you, like many others around the country have been cleaning house, the classroom libraries at Stockbridge Jr/Sr High School are eager to accept any literary (or monetary) donations you wish to make. You may direct any donations to the English Department at Stockbridge Jr/Sr High School, 416 N. Clinton, Stockbridge, MI 49285.