Middle schoolers are facilitating class over the next few weeks as we discuss their class’s assigned novels. While this has been the first week for students to lead those discussions, it has been so fun to see them rise to the occasion with their preparation and various techniques to engage the classroom – from conversations to presentations to trivia. 

Additionally, many of the students are ahead in their assigned reading! Considering many were less-than-thrilled when they learned they would be reading roughly 5-6 chapters a week, it is delightful to see them reading in the morning before classes start and to know they are reading at home. Not only are they reading, they are actively engaging with the text – and many are quite opinionated on their feelings toward the novel as well as certain characters and events. 

To engage with your student, you could ask them: 

• which week they are leading class discussion;
• what chapter they are currently reading;
• where their calendar with reading due dates is; 
• what their opinion of the book/key characters are; and 
• what they think is going to happen next in the plot.