For the last seven Wednesdays, Capitol Library on Milwaukee’s northwest side hosted a pilot reading club. The program targets young minority boys to encourage a love of reading and learning. It was created by a woman, who makes kids want to read, even when they’re giving up sacred summer vacation time.
Venice Williams is a compact bundle of focused passion. Her focus tonight, and for one evening a week throughout most of the summer, has been 18 boys, all around 10 years old. They form a reading group called Brown Boys Bonding Thru Books. Some of the boys said they hated reading, but that was before Miss Venice got a hold of them.
Williams says she made this pilot program up as she went along, although she does have 25 years of working with kids under her belt. At the moment these kids in the Capitol Library community room seem excited. They’re coming up with as many compound words as they can.
“Yes now make sure you’re not creating words. This isn’t creativity time. They have to be real words,” Williams says.
Williams fills two hours with word games and readings.
“If you put it in a paper or if you’re writing at school, it would be a legitimate word,” Williams says.
Williams expects each boy to pay attention, raise his hand and to listen.
“I’m going to wait until you’re ready. And you’re going to let me know by your bodies being still and your lips being still,” Willliams says.
She’s taught them a couple of West African words she uses to get everyone’s attention. When she needs to give the signal, things are getting a little out of control here. Ago is Willliams’ call.
“I respectfully ask you for your attention. And when you say ame, what are you saying back to me?” Williams says.
The boys response means, I respectfully give you my attention. Williams never lets the boys forget the reading circle rules.
Every week the boys get a new book. Williams guides them through its “anatomy”. Things like what’s a glossary and where do you find it.
Tonight they’re diving into a piece of fiction. It’s set in Kenya and the main character is a boy who’s father is a park ranger. Williams says, the language is more difficult than anything the reading circle has come across this summer.
“Who would like to begin?” Williams says.
A sea of arms, begging to read first, wave for Williams’ attention. She chooses 9-year-old Thomas.
She says she’s learned a few tricks by raising four boys of her own.
“We’re not playing basketball. We’re not racing to other end. We want to digest what you read. We want to hear the words,” Willliams says.
Eric has to work hard to make it through his section. Williams prompts him and encourages him, as Eric concentrates on each word.
‘Very good Eric. Your reading in the past six weeks has come a long way, hasn’t it everyone? Give Eric a hand. Wonderful, wonderful, Eric!” Williams says.
Williams says if the boys can’t relate to the books they read, it’s just talk. So whenever she gets the chance, she tries to make a connection. She asks about the boys’ experiences and feelings. In the story they’ve reading, the boy’s father doesn’t think his son is mature enough to go out in the field to check on lions he believes are particularly dangerous.
“Okay, so who’s been in this situation before?” Williams says.
Circle time ends with more ritual. Before Williams sends each boy home with a book in hand, she says:
“I want to thank you for taking the time that you could have been outside or at home watching TV or doing something else, to read and to learn and to build your vocabulary and to keep preparing yourself for life, not just for school, because reading, you read every day.”
Emire, a tall quiet 10 year old, comes religiously to the reading circle each week. He says he likes being here, but hasn’t changed his mind about school.
“Wasting up six hours of my time,” Emire says.
As Venice Williams gathers up pencils and Popsicle wrappers, she says Emire’s feelings aren’t unusual. She says for lots of kids going to school and reading feels like a punishment, something you just try to get through.
“When you have to read at school and you’re being graded for it. And someone is critiquing you and you know this is going to be an issue, whether I pass or fail. Or other kids are going to laugh, because I’m stumbling, you know, that’s major. So that’s why every week I remind them this is a safe place to read. We’re not here to to laugh at you or to criticize you, but to celebrate you,” Williams says.
As far as Williams in concerned, this experiment is a success. She plans to start a new circle at another neighborhood library next summer. As for this group, the boys want more, so they’ll reconvene in October. Williams’ gut feeling is, Emire, the fellow who hates school, will be back too.
Share / Email
Print
Download
Email a Friend
Facebook
Del.icio.us
Stumble Upon
Digg
Newsvine
