Getting involved: Carnegie Shadowing

I am tres excited. Tomorrow morning I’m going to talk to our year seven students about the Carnegie shadowing scheme, and set up regular meetings with those who want to be a part of it. It may be the chance I’ve been looking for to bond with students! For those unaware, Carnegie shadowing works thusly:

• The books on the shortlist for the Carnegie medal get sent to our school. I think we’ve ordered three of each. (We don’t know yet what they will be. We’re getting them anyway. The shortlist is announced on the 18^th).
• Those students who want to be involved, meet once a week with myself and a member of their boarding house staff (who’s also a really keen reader) in an informal setting (with cake and squash) and we have a session similar to that of a book club. They choose books to read from the shortlist, we discuss them, we have games and generally just chat about all things bookish.
• They have their own personalised page on the Carnegie shadowing website, on which lots of cool things can happen – for example I can set up polls, they can post reviews and they can watch video clips from nominated authors. There’s a space for a blog…you can even create your own magazine. You basically get as involved as you want.
• You have weekly meetings right through the summer term, until the winner is announced in June.

How fabulous is that? What I really like, is that it will allow the students who like to read, but don’t really ever get to talk about it to anyone, to talk about it, and get enthused without anyone calling them geeky. Geeks are in anyway. TRUTH.

They can express their opinions openly with members of staff and fellow students and it could help develop their confidence. Anyone who wants to join in that isn’t a particularly strong reader will hopefully find themselves supported and girls who are quick readers will enjoy the challenge of finishing all the books. I for one am very excited and can’t wait to post an update about how everything is going. I know for a fact we’ll have at least a little interest, as there are some girls who are powering through the library’s books and are obviously keen readers. Fingers crossed we can get some others involved too and get everyone excited about reading. This also means I have to read the books too, so I can help guide discussions. Hopefully they’ll be some good ones!

This is what I was made for!! Ah!

Over and Outttt.