GROUP SESSIONS
1. SAY HI.
2. MEET YOUR TEACHER(S)
3. ADD A FRESH CHAPTER/PART/BOOK TO YOUR BOOK
4. CELEBRATE
5. DO IT ALL OVER.
TWO OPTIONS
You have a couple ways of using Running Readers.
Option 1: Integrated
We use what your class has been learning as a springboard.
Option 2: Independent
We create everything ourselves.
INTEGRATED
weeks 0-10: CUSTOMIZED Pre-session programming
You have one simple task: before each session, shoot us a brief e-mail, call us, or choose to meet with us to chat about what you've taught in the last week or weeks, the basic concepts you'd like us to build from, and your goals for the class. You can go as simple or detailed as you'd like: a middle ground is usually the best. Depending on the subject, one or more of our skilled teachers will take the lead and develop a lesson plan for the day that they come in and teach.
INTEGRATED & INDEPENDENT
Week One: CLASS INTRODUCTION
Your Lead Teacher introduces herself. The purpose of this session is to unravel any reservations your students may have and get them excited about the weeks ahead. They each receive their own blank or mostly-blank book, depending on the age group, in which (for this first session) they outline their hopes and dreams. The Lead Teacher acknowledges, mysteriously, that this doesn't seem very relevant at the moment. As she leads the class for the rest of the session in her prepared lesson plan, she gradually incorporates the book into her lesson. At the end of the class, she asks for the books back, and takes note of their hopes and dreams.
Week TWO: MEET YOUR TEACHER(s)
Surprise! Along with the Lead Teacher, another Teacher, an "assistant," comes along. Books are handed back. Together, the Lead and her "assistant" work in tandem on further exploring the class material. One-third to halfway through the session (depending on session length), our teachers switch gears. The Lead states that it probably wasn't necessary for her assistant to come along. The assistant reacts in outrage. He introduces himself as one of the Core Interests. The Core Interests are determined by the majority of the "dreams." As a specialist in his Core Interest, he leads the class the rest of the way in singing, dancing, painting, science, athletics — the possibilities are endless.
WEEK THREE: MEET YOUR TEACHER & FINDING A MENTOR
The Lead Teacher arrives with a new "assistant," who takes the lead in exploring the class subject. Of course, by now, the kids know what to expect. This new assistant is another Teacher who leads the class in a Core Interest — film, history, carpentry, haircutting — didn't we say the possibilities are endless? Meanwhile, the Lead Teacher takes each student aside, one by one, and asks if they have any specific interest.
Week Four: meet your mentor
The Lead Teacher greets the class. Sorry, no "assistants" today. She explores the subject. If she has done her job correctly, she seems as dull as an "ordinary" day. Her lesson plan isn't going well. She hands the reins off to the teacher. She says goodbye to the class, one last time — and walks out the door.
No sooner does she leave, but a man walks in. He asks if there happens to be a "Sally." She raises her hand. A woman walks in. "Which one of you is Tim?" And so it goes. Depending on the size of your class and how closely their interests fall into the same category, one, a couple, or a few students are grouped with their own mentor. If your school has teachers that are interested in becoming mentors, they can be the mentors. Otherwise, we will specially select our own skilled mentors.
The rest of the day is getting to know each other. The students have been bringing along their books, and today the mentors ask the students to write a personal story. At this point, the "personal" part may or may not come easy.
Weeks Five & Six: Dream Development
Class is held in the auditorium; the gym; wherever there is a large, enclosed space. The students work with their mentors. Since our mentors are not just dreamers but doers of what they teach, we can always provide the "instrument," whether it is a keyboard, or the watercolors for a painting. We do our homework. We find what you love, and bring your aspirations to the stage (more on that later.) Having everyone together, doing different things in a relatively small space, provides a chance for students to "mix & mingle," and lets them have the opportunity to learn a small piece of what everyone else is doing.
WEEK SEVEN: A Dream takes flight
Even the complete novice has at least a rudimentary understanding of one or several areas by now. Those who had more experience have developed a fuller understanding of their array of talents. Halfway through the session, the Lead Teacher reappears. Walking onto the stage, the front of the room, the bleachers, she asks for everyone's undivided attention.
She asks them to re-consider the original dreams they'd written down back in Week 1, at the very beginning of the journey. She asks them to look back at their books, the notes they have been keeping, and consider what, if anything, has changed. Her "assistants," of course, have been keeping her informed on their progress. The time is here to hone in on what inspires you most, the lesson you've learned that you think is most useful, and let the outside world see just what amazing things you've been doing.
Three weeks from now, at the end of Week 10, you're going to perform one or more of three things: a "Show," a "Teach," and/or a "Good Deed." It's up to you to decide which things to do. (But of course, we always encourage all three—and it would be such a shame if you didn't participate in the SHOW.)
Week EIGHT: REALIZING YOUR DREAM
Students work closely, individually or in groups, with their mentors. It is possible, given all they've seen in the past few weeks, that they will have chosen a new mentor to help guide them on their final project. The projects are primarily student-led; mentors are there for questions and suggestions.
Week Nine: farewell for now
Mentors say their goodbyes. They leave their students with words of encouragement, going around and signing their books, which have temporarily become "yearbooks." They also leave their contact information if the students have any questions. After all, the beauty in keeping your book is you can look back on the road you've traveled. You can see firsthand that anything is possible, because you have done it yourself. Students work for the first time on their "Show," "Teach," or "Good Deed," entirely by themselves, with (for younger students) only the Lead Teacher there to oversee it. (Older students may have the option to go to the library or other helpful school location.)
Week Ten (in class): FINAL preparations & Presentations
Students put the final touches on their projects. All those performing a "Good Deed" present to the class what they're doing, the fundraiser they've started, the community race. The new "Teachers" give a quick rundown of their subject. In lieu of performing, they will be traveling to another school to teach their subject for another class. For those who have decided to be in the Show, they have the next hour or so to get all dressed—
the show
The whole school comes. Your parents arrive. The crowd cheers. One by one, group by group, you display some of your new magic. You look into the audience. You see your fellow students, your cheering teachers and mentors.
AFTERWARDS
You close the book and open the book, get autographs from all the people with whom you've grown, and start a new chapter.