A Review of the Alberta School Learning Commons Council’s Hosting of Pernille Ripp
by Harold Semenuk
Libraries, and most certainly school libraries, are places of refuge, community, support, and inspiration. It’s been a tough few years (to say the least) for libraries, library staff and school communities. Roles have been drastically modified in many cases, allotted staff assignments have been reduced, programming and funding have been placed under hot, intense spotlights in front of a ragged and disorienting political, economic, environmental and societal backdrop. Despite the current state of affairs, we know library staff and those supporting libraries and literacy in our schools have channeled their creative ingenuity (even with limited resources), connected through intertwined communities, advocated ardently to protect against regressive reactiveness, and maintained the humble yet powerful tenet, that the ultimate refuge can fit in the palm of our hands – an escape or a journey, or a process of discovery – whatever it is that we need a book to be.
But there’s no denying that library staff and teachers are tired. Earlier in the school year Alberta School Learning Commons Council discussed bringing in a guest speaker for the spring of 2022; we resignedly but responsibly determined that the event would be delivered online. We knew that an online event was certainly doable, but we were already tired, and the first snowflake hadn’t even fallen yet. We considered if there was even an appetite for an online event, or what the point or purpose might be… What would people take from the session? What will be most relevant six months from now? Is anything relevant? Is anyone listening? Does anyone think it’s even “nice to (Google) meet” with anyone anymore? Should we just maybe “Zoom” out, waaayyy out, and not come back?
Despite degrees of lethargy and apathy, we booked Pernille Ripp, and once confirmed, we seemed to immediately feel more hopeful. It was only one speaker, for one morning, many months away, but just booking Pernille Ripp was the spark of real, professional, meaningful, self-care. This was self-care not only for us as an Alberta Teachers’ Association specialist council, but for our pan-Canadian school librarian communities, and for all of us that literacy and education affects. When school librarians are better, school libraries are better, school communities are better, and the world is a bit better. And we had just booked Pernille Ripp! The Pernille Ripp, founder of the Global Read Aloud, author, writer, literacy advocate, teacher, award-winner, with a hardly-surprising, Twitter following of over eighty-thousand. We expected this Wisconsin teacher, originally from Denmark, to make an impact and bring value to those joining the session; expectations were handily surpassed.
When the Alberta School Learning Commons Council booked Pernille Ripp, we landed on an event title and a broadest-of-strokes theme – “Pernille Ripp: Literacy in the Age of Covid”. We knew Covid would be around for a while. We didn’t know what effect it would have in six months or six years on school libraries. In our uncertainty, we wanted to know, and explore with our attendees through Pernille’s guidance, what exactly was different and what should we do about it? Perhaps we shouldn’t have been surprised once the session was underway on an early Saturday, April morning, that rather than frame and focus her presentation on our chosen theme and title, it was if we were paragliding with her, surveying a wide range of territory to help us find our feet again – as we prepared to hit the ground running (as always). This choice in approach was clearly not as a slight or to minimize the effect that Covid has had on our world; this choice was a reminder to reconnect to what our best practices have been and need to continue to be. We serve our students well, no matter the circumstances, when we are focusing on what’s foundationally important philosophically and through applied practice. When we do this, we maintain the integrity and value of school libraries and literacy programming. The following captures a mere birds-eye view of Pernille’s timely presentation.
Reading affinity and striving depends on how well a reader sees themselves as a reader.
A range of experiences and interactions, and what is said to a reader with good intentions or otherwise, can set or reinforce with a reader that they are a “good” or “bad” reader. Pernille had us recall and share what we determined to be “good” or “bad” readers. Throughout her presentation she pointed to examples of how subjective these “good” or “bad” labels are. A student who shares that they, “Don’t hate reading as much now”, at the end of a school year, is moving in the right direction and this should be met with encouragement. Pernille shared the story of her own daughter in tears, not wanting to go to school because, “All the smart kids can read.” At a very young age she had started to form this circular self-worth as she tried to “crack the code of reading”, as Pernille framed the challenge. Paying attention to why students struggle and why they feel they “suck” at reading or feel “reading is trash”, can inform our practice.
Pernille’s own classroom conversations lead to testaments such as resenting reading “packets”, being forced to talk about books with a random person in class. A student simply may not want to share any range of emotions and thoughts that have been evoked through their relationship with a book with another student that they don’t have a strong trust with. On the other hand, maintaining dedicated, consistent time for reading, ideally with greater student choice of when and for how long a reading experience occurs, is something most students cherish. Another student informed Mrs. Ripp it was significant that, “[…]I can read the books I want without someone judging”. Those that work with readers may forget to ask questions to students – in well chosen moments – questions such as, “When has reading been joyful for you?” That answer may be “never”, but asking is better than assuming. Reading trauma is something that children and adults carry around with them, and it impacts their literacy development and self worth.
When students and teachers accurately know how the reader sees themselves as a reader, goals and approaches can be more accurately co-designed.
Pernille reminded those attending this session of many ways we can help students and staff understand who they are as a reader. If a student is despondent that they are a “slow” reader, are we rephrasing and relaying back to the student, something akin to: “When you say slow, do you mean taking your time? Do you mean that you are a careful reader?” This sort of questioning is an opportunity to segue into excitement about picking a book that they may enjoy taking their time with, even more. Having said that, the design and choice of interventions are key. Pernille reminded us that interventions can do more harm than good. Often, letting students simply read what they want to read is more helpful than creating a negative association and resistance to reading at all. Through sincere, caring, periodic, 1:1 reading conferences, students can grow as readers and take pride in the self-control that they have fostered. Pernille displayed a fitting self-quote:
“What conversations would we be able to have if every child was able to discuss who they are as a reader with an emphasis on what they ARE rather than what they ARE NOT?”
Pernille further co-develops “reading rights” with her students as a trust-building reminder and referral as needed and important for developing their identity as readers.
Trust the foundational development of an affinity for reading.
Attendees were asked to revisit the controversial notion that student choice will lead to students choosing material that is “too easy”. A slide from Pernille’s presentation illuminated that:
What may seem “easy” to us, may be…. The first book a child has been able to read fully. The first book a child has been able to fully understand. The first book a child has been able to connect with. The first book a child has actually liked. The first book where a child has seen themselves.
Pernille referenced the work of Krashen, Lee, and Lao from the book, “Comprehensive and Compelling: The Causes and Effects of Free Voluntary Reading”, that students typically move-on to more challenging texts if there is exposure to a print-rich environment with freedom to select books of their choice. (Krashen, Lee, and Lao, as cited in Ripp, 2022). Extrinsic rewards and punishments are counter-productive. Things like community celebrations of reading can be reward-like, without an “if-then” structure. Likewise, although encouragement and celebration are important parts of literacy development, reading should not be directed or encouraged to “appease or please” the teacher or anyone else. Furthermore, there are so many reading tests and formal instruments of measure that reading intervention can become overly clinical. Classroom activities can become overrun with mechanical development and disconnected analysis, so much that reading can feel like or become a negative experience of being constantly observed. Who likes feeling like they’re being watched as they try to become immersed in a book? As Pernille offered as a searing reflection:
“We’re constantly reading for skill. We’re constantly asking kids to do something with their reading, and then we wonder why they leave us and never pick up another book.”
Pernille Ripp’s presentation was a warm current of inspiration when the Alberta School Learning Commons Council and our event attendees needed it most. As the Saturday morning came to a close, the reality of Monday was in clear sight, and as always, we were going to hit the ground running. But instead of a free-fall spiral, we were reminded of the firm footing that can be found regardless of the situation we find ourselves in. Systemic and societal change is beyond one person’s control, but every day we can check how we question and enter into conversations with students. We can help students see who they are rather than who they are not as readers. We can ensure that libraries and classrooms remain a refuge and safe place to land and explore. As Pernille reminded us through her own fond reflection, we are doing good work and important work when the measures we hold in esteem those wonderful moments, such as when a reluctant reader – entirely on their own volition – tells us there is a book they recently finished, that we just have to read.
References
Krashen, S. D., Lee, S.-Y., & Lao, C. (2018). Comprehensible and compelling: The causes and effects of free voluntary reading. Libraries Unlimited, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC. As cited in: Ripp, P. (2022, April). Pernill Ripp: Literacy in the Age of Covid. Professional Development Event Hosted by the Alberta School Learning Commons Council. Edmonton; Online.
Ripp, P. (2022, April). Pernill Ripp: Literacy in the Age of Covid. Professional Development Event Hosted by the Alberta School Learning Commons Council. Edmonton; Online.
Harold Semenuk is the teacher-librarian for M.E. LaZerte High School in Edmonton, Alberta. Harold is the President-Elect and Webmaster for the Alberta School Learning Commons Council. Previously, Harold led a centrally developed project, “Anytime Help Anywhere” with Edmonton Public Schools. He has held a variety of instructional and administrative leadership roles and taught a variety of courses from grades 7-12. He proudly represented Edmonton Public Schools as a social studies curriculum writer and collaborator, participating in Government of Alberta working groups between 2016-18, prior to the discontinuation of that process and draft products by the current Government of Alberta. Harold draws on learning foundations and principles through his work as an Associate with the Human Venture Leadership organization and community.