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Making a good start maximizing publicity
and participation....................
The hardest work connected with
the challenge, but pays dividends. The main aims are to make sure all
eligible children understand the challenge and receive personal
invitations; that the issuing of invitations is done in such a way as to
inspire and interest the children in the scheme; that teaching staff and
parents know about the scheme and will therefore encourage children to
join.
The most effective way of issuing
invitations is through the schools, and teachers, if approached
sensitively, are invariably happy to help. In late May email/phone/visit
all head teachers to let them know the details of the forthcoming scheme
and ask for their cooperation. Check how many are on the school roll and
discuss how and when the invitations will reach the children usually
it is through class teachers, so get clear at this stage who will do
which of the following tasks.
 Write the childs name
on each invitation. I would recommend this be done by the library
staff as it will seem more special to the child, but of course this
depends on time
Bundle the invitations
into class sets
Give the invitations out
Timing
-the last two weeks of the summer term are always very busy for schools,
with trips, events, P7 going up to the big school etc so ideally the
invitations will go out at least two weeks before the end of term if not
three.
It is useful to prepare the
following at this stage you will only need to do the work once as they
can be saved and modified each year
A factsheet for teaching staff
explaining the challenge and what you want teachers to do one for
each class teacher.
A letter for parents explaining the scheme and the benefits for
children. This can be handed out with the invitation.
If you have time/resources it is
very effective to do one or both of the following with as many schools
as possible
Visit classes in person to talk
to the kids about the challenge, show them the materials and promote
any summer library events.
Organise as many class visits
to the library before the end of term as possible. This gives
everyone a chance to see books, plus any promotional materials you
have bought in, kids who have joined the scheme a chance to pick their
first books and might encourage waiverers to join. Do some of
the recommended activities that come with the challenge or invent your
own, tell stories, whatever you can pin up the results in the
library and use them to further promote the scheme.
Use one of the above
opportunities to publicise the scheme in your local paper.
Sustaining enthusiasm maximizing
the number of participants who reach the end of the challenge
Organise a programme of summer
events which reflect and develop the theme of the challenge. These
are of course open to all and not just challenge participants, but it
is a good way to keep children coming into the library, which gives
staff the opportunity to monitor progress and keep the profile of the
scheme high. Working with Arts Development Officers, Drama Workers
and others in ECS and beyond can open up many possibilities for
developing the theme, while still keeping a book focus in there plan
this all out as far in advance as possible, so that details of your
events can be included in the summer brochure which goes out to all
parents through schools. Plan events for different age groups and try
to cater especially for the needs of boys.
Have little rewards at certain
milestones e.g. when you have read 3 out of the 6 books, you get a
pencil.
Photocopy the activity sheets
that come with the challenge or invent your own and get children to
collect them all as they read the books display some in the library.
Organise some way of marking
the progress of participants in the library, so that they can see how
many books they have read and take pride in moving their marker on.
Remember moving the trainer on the race track for Reading Relay?
Something like this usually comes with the scheme, or you can invent
your own. It is hard to find space for this, but generates a lot of
interest and motivates participants.
Be interested
in the children when they come in with their books make time
wherever possible to ask them how they are doing, get them to show you
their collector card and where they have put the stickers and say what
they thought of the books not a test, not like school, just a quick
word to show that you value what they are doing.
Be flexible
about the end of the scheme it finishes officially at the end of
August, so once school is settled back after the holidays, ask the
teachers or pop into classes to remind the children that the scheme is
nearly over. A lot of books get read in these last few days! If
children ask for a small extension, go with it but set a final date so
that the medals and certificates can be presented before the end of
September.
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