To have vision is to have a growth mindset, an ability to see that change is possible.  Our drivers for change our readers, students, staff, and all lovers of reading. These are the people who set the trends, show what the market is looking for embrace what is working.  

Margaret Kristin Merga, from Edith Cowan University, supports the important role  Teacher Librarians, School libraries and teachers play in creating and sustaining a reading culture.  A lot of her research is nothing we don’t already know as TLs, however, it was serendipitous for her article to fall into my facebook feed this week.  Not only while I have started this module but we have the ball rolling, in my school, to launch a School Wide Reading campaign to reinvigorate our reading culture; which has become a little lacklustre recently.  Merga’s (2019) 10 Most Important Things to Make the Most of Reading Time need to be integrated into every school somehow, this is how we create readers of the present and the now. Children yearn for guidance, even though they resist it most of the time, routine and structure is still important to engage students.  In my school, there is so much to be said for students having complete independence when selecting books. In library lessons staff are always on hand to recommend and highlight great literature, with book sells every term of new books, and having conversations with the students when they are looking for their next book.  Something I have learnt while studying is reflection is a powerful tool for consolidation, deepening learning and maintaining my enthusiasm. Whenever I share or talk about or review a book it makes me want to read more. If, as TLs, teachers and adults we can model this for our students then we are halfway there of maintaining a reading culture.

We can’t have a future of children’s literature if we don’t have a reading culture to support it, the main drivers aren’t necessarily us, but our students.  We need to support and encourage them with their reading, yes even those kids who hate reading. It is a challenge to compete with the instant gratification of the digital world.  While at the 2019 ASLA conference this year, I listened to many wonderful speakers, however, Jack Heath was a standout when he acknowledged the challenge to hook kids in the first few pages of his books, knowing that he was competing with the xbox 5 feet away or youtube in their pocket.  He spoke of his methods of writing to engage teens with his words. Where I work we have an annual reading challenge, a reading cafe (aka book club for students) and regular library lessons for our middle school classes. Our Reading Cafe is a once a week book fest, we host Featured Readers – teachers who share their beloved books and genres – we also have trivia, book related escape rooms, hot chocolate and share our own beloved books.  The students in this book club are our school’s Reader Leaders.

While I may have digressed slightly, I will bring myself back.  Harvey, talks of 5 Trends that Affecting Children’s Literature (2015) which I confess I have already noticed some them, since she has written her article, particularly on social media for one of them, Personalisation.  While I am not a fan of this trend, it certainly is an excellent marketing move – children are immortalised in their own books, instantly. As I mentioned previously, children’s literature will involve more interactivity and be more action packed to engage readers more and to compete with the instant gratification of the internet. Both these trends are catering to our instant world, an entitled world, maybe?

My vision is that trends will become more adventurous with their content to engage readers, graphic novels and manga are quite popular I see then to continue to be. With every change there needs to be drivers, we as TLs, vloggers, bloggers, anyone with a voice who can reach anyone who will listen – we need in incorporate the digital world as an ally.  Change is not quiet or invisible, it can be small and still make a difference. In a digital world making your mark on change needs to be seen. I myself use youtube to know what is out there, along with twitter and facebook. I truly believe the more we share the more we can drive trends and change. Integrating literature into the curriculum that is engaging and purposeful will create a generation of readers, without them there is no change.

 

References:

Merga, M. K & Gibson, C. (2019, September 23). 10 ways to get the most out of silent reading in schools. The Conversation: Australian Edition.  Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/10-ways-to-get-the-most-out-of-silent-reading-in-schools-123531?fbclid=IwAR3gdeg9kMviq0Yl1UAmEvB4kxCxXV6xPJUlPVHJeP3XhwsMXmm_8J8xQwI

Harvey, E. (2015, December 8). 5 Trends Affecting Children’s Literature. Book Business. Retreived from https://www.bookbusinessmag.com/article/what-we-learned-from-the-top-trends-in-childrens-literature-webinar/