I just finished listening to Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point.  I know I’m several years behind, but did it ever give me something to think about.  If you haven’t read it yet either, Gladwell explains how social epidemics happen.  Why does one social trend take off and another does not?  The answers surprised me because it’s not the commonly accepted or obvious answer that makes the difference.  The answers lie in the combination of the messengers (connectors and mavens), the message (sticky or not sticky), and the situation (context or surroundings).

I know what social epidemic I would like to start–an epidemic of reading that spreads throughout our school and overflows into the community.  How can I harness the ideas of the tipping point to spread a love of books and literacy?  What makes one book catch fire and spread from student to student without ever returning to the shelf?

I do not score very high on Gladwell’s test for connectedness.  I suppose I’m too much of an introvert for that, but I can think of people in my PLN who are definitely connectors and mavens for the teaching and YA community.  My students might consider me a maven when it comes to books and reading, but I know just how much I don’t know.  I find it more interesting to see how the role of connectors and mavens play out among my students.  Earlier this year I asked students to write on sticky notes where they found the next book they wanted to read.  Over half of the students in one class (and some students in other classes) wrote down the name of a single student.  This student has read over 150 books so far this year and frequently recommends books to classmates.  I’m lucky to have this maven in class.

The message hinges more on the book–or more precisely, the match between reader and book.  A book that is sticky for one student will not make an impression on another.  I love putting that gateway book into the hands of students and seeing the worlds of possibility open up for them.  I have a few students that I still need to find that match for.

I was most intrigued by the importance of the context of the situation because I can control much of that.  I suspect the context of my classroom plays a role in why my students read more (an average of over 20 books per student in early February).  The first thing you will notice when walking in my classroom is all the books.  This year I snagged some book stands from our librarian to display books on top of the bookshelves.  I’ve found that those books are checked out and read much more often.  It’s the little things that count.

My next thoughts are to experiment with tweaks to see how to tip the reading epidemic beyond my classroom walls.  How have you started a reading epidemic?

I’m taking part in the Slice of Life Challenge sponsored by Ruth and Stacey over at Two Writing Teachers.  I hope to write every day for the month of March and then continue weekly each Tuesday.  Join in yourself or head over to check out what’s happening with other slices.  If you’re taking part in the SOL, leave a link to your post.  I’d love to read it.