February
20
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Shelfies: A Snapshot of Our Reading Lives by Melissa Guerrette
Thanks to popularity among the Nerdy Book Club-types, shelfies have become trendy. Many of us have even made shelfies something of a habit. Just look at the call for #winterTBR stacks or the unsolicited shelfies we’ve all been posting in anticipation of snow day reading bliss.
So, why is it? What is it about sheflies and TBR stacks that have us all playing along?
When you and I gather up the books off the top of our to-be-read stacks (Let’s not pretend you don’t have multiple stacks, too!) and artistically position the camera at just the right angle to capture their spines or covers and post those shelfies to the social media world, we’re keeping reading lives–our own and each others’–alive.
In this vein, my #winterTBR picture prompted me to experiment with this theory in my school community.
Before Christmas vacation, I enlisted my students’ help to take my shelfie.
And then, I turned the camera on them, snapping pictures of each one with their reading plan for the two-week break.
And we made posters.
Yes, posters. Big, loud, colorful, you-can’t-miss-us posters with printed pictures of the students’ shelfies. And we blitzed the hallways of our school with them.
Then we waited to see what would happen.
What happened was a whole lot of talk about reading.
There was animated book conversation from the start. As students were shopping in the classroom library, consulting the TBR lists in their notebooks, and making arrangements to borrow titles from one another, students were making plans–reading commitments–and talking to each other about books. Then came slogans and phrasing that encouraged others to read as students lettered their posters. And as they shopped for prime real-estate in hanging their posters around the school, my students considered their audience and who they were trying to promote reading with.
But then there was more. We noticed other students and teachers pausing at our posters, looking at the students’ faces and the titles in their pictures. We overheard other students who recognized titles they loved in our pictures, and other students who wondered aloud about books they didn’t know. And the best comment that we overheard? It was the one from a 5th grader in the classroom next door when she pleaded to her teacher, “Can we make TBR posters, too?”
So, again, what is it about this shelfie trend? Why did my students take it on so quickly?
- The students were engaged in self-expression. Making TBR posters was a way to express their reader-self, and they’ve grown comfortable with this mode of self-expression.
- The students were making connections with other readers by visually representing their reading. Everyone in the class was working on a poster, sharing in the common mission to promote reading to others. Sharing a goal contributes to a greater sense of belonging in our reading community.
- The students were making a commitment, and sharing it publicly, to read over vacation. They were issuing themselves their own challenge, setting their own goals. No one else was dictating what they would read over vacation, and sharing short-term reading goals motivates the students to achieve their goal.
- The students were promoting reading, beyond the walls of our everyday classroom community. They realized their voice has value, and they can influence their peers as readers, too. They feel empowered as they are beginning to actualize their role in a greater reading community.
Last week we found ourselves staring at another crossed out week on the school calendar. February vacation stared back. As if they could read my mind, my students asked, “Are we going to make posters to share our vacation TBR lists?”
Why yes, ladies and gentlemen, I thought behind my smile. Yes, I think making a reading plan and sharing that is a very good idea. And the bustle began again. This time their plans came along more smoothly and quickly (Is it just me, or did it seem like they had been thinking about this?), the students were more honest with themselves in setting their reading goals, and not one of the students needed coaxing to participate. Eagerly, we created our posters, hung them proudly throughout the halls, and packed our bags with books for vacation.
Maybe you and your students are just getting back from a vacation, or maybe you’re anticipating one in the near future. Or maybe it’s not so much about a “vacation” at all. Next time you get ready to post a shelfie, think about your shelfie as a snapshot of your reading life. Can shelfies be a snapshot of your students’ reading lives, too?
Melissa Guerrette is a 4th grade teacher in Oxford, Maine. Her professional passion is empowering students and helping them uncover their individuality–as readers and as people–for themselves. Melissa has currently finished six of the nine books on her vacation TBR list, which her students are skeptical that she’ll complete.You can follow Melissa on Twitter at @guerrette79 or visit her blog at www.melissaguerrette.blogspot.com.
Nerdy Book Club 
This is a fantastic idea and a wonderful post. Thank you Melissa!
Thank you, Sarah!
Love this so much! Great post!
Thank you, Gigi!
Love this idea!!
Thank you. I hope you can use this idea–or a version of it!
My mind is reeling with thoughts of Shelfies and my kids. They will love this so much! As second graders they are the leaders in our school. This will really help them motivate first and kindergartners to start thinking about what they’re reading. The earlier we start the better. I feel like I need to make a trip to Oxford to visit you.
I think it would be interesting to see a 2nd grade version of these reading plans. We cannot underestimate the mileage that comes from empowering kids, giving them reason to see that their voice is useful and makes a difference.
Fantastically done. Love the idea of big posters around the school.
Thank you, Justin. It certainly adds to the environment.
Love this! We began doing shelfies as a class in September, but I think you have shown us a much better way to do it! I’ve been taking pics of students with their books, and posting them in the hall on our lockers. The idea is for passersby to see what we are reading. Adding the TBR component makes it much more powerful!
I have done a variation of book posters on students’ lockers before, mainly as a record of what they have read. This year I sidelined it, finding it hard to manage with so many students and little independent access to technology. I am finding a lot of benefit in supporting students’ reading plans by keeping them thinking ahead. If I go back to posters on their lockers, I will probably modify to include a TBR component.
Absolutely love this idea, but especially appreciate your observation that, “Is it just me or does it seem like they’ve been thinking about it.” Congratulations – you are on your way to creating life long readers!
I love this, too, Laurie. When I reflect on how much less time this took last week than it did before vacation and how much more realistic their choices were, I realize they are internalizing the idea of having a reading plan and thinking forward. I will be anxious to see them Monday to reflect on their week!
What a great idea! This year my son’s 5th grade teacher had each student bring a wrapped book to exchange during their holiday party, so everyone had a new book to read over the break.
Thank you, Nancy.
The wrapped present idea is interesting also. How did your son feel about the book he got?
Ha – to be truthful, he switched with someone else. But that was a fun part of the process, too…watching the books change hands, and hearing what the kids had to say.
This idea is spot on! Thank you for sharing so I can steal it!
Please do! If our TBR posters inspire you in any way, shape, or form, I hope you will steal away.
Well done, friend! Can’t wait to try this out at my school!
Thank you, Lesley. I hope you do get to try this out!
I love this idea so much I want to marry it! And shelfies – so much more appealing than selfies!
Thank you!
I should say though, the idea of taking “shelfies” themselves is not something for which I should get credit. I took an idea that has become trendy and offered it to my students to be used as a tool for promoting reading. (And committing to reading, too, only…they didn’t need to see it through my teacher-lens!)
In fact, I verified. It is indeed Donalyn Miller who has been using the term “shelfie” for pictures of readers with books they have read and recommend.
Melissa, this is such a great plan! Accountability and enthusiasm for reading all wrapped into one! It doesn’t get any better than that!
Aliza (3rd grade)
@alizateach
Sometimes we have to go where they lead us, right? I’m pretty much an open book when it comes to sharing my reading life with my students, so when I was assembling in my books for the #winterTBR selfie, they were curious, to say the least! Thanks for reading, Aliza.
I am too. I share everything I read with my students and knowing specific titles helps me make recommendations. When your students know you’re excited about reading, they want to be a part of that world. Kudos to you!
Just sent my middle schoolers off on their trimester break (week off) with the assignment I did last year very successfully. Here are some of our Shelfies! https://davincicharterschool.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/my-reading-selfies-2/
Your reflections show the students are attuned to themselves as readers. Kudos to them! My students still need a considerable amount of scaffolding in their reflections, but I am anxious to see if the reflection process comes easier next week, too, since it won’t be new to them this time.
Great idea and a great post!
Thank you!
I am nothing short of overwhelmed by the positive response to this glimpse into my classroom! Thank you all for reading, commenting, and sharing this post. My students are thrilled to be using “shelfies” (a term I’ve acquired from Donalyn Miller) to define who they are as readers and influence other readers in the process. Hopefully something about this idea can be taken and used or modified to fit for you and your readers, too!
Fantastic idea!
Ha! Tapping into the power of (positive) peer pressure! Love it! This was a fun post to read, Melissa!
Melissa – we have spring break in just a few weeks! This is perfect – so love the idea. I will share it with teachers around me.
Love this idea! I’m going to use it to encourage summer reading in my elementary school, and the have students report back on how they did. Maybe even give books a 1-5 star rating. Thanks for sharing!
I love this idea! I’m planning to use it to kick off our March Madness reading with my middle school students, but I would also love to convince my coworkers to create a TBR poster. What a great way to build a school reading community! Thanks for sharing!