Hallowell Elem. School Hold Community Book Club Meeting

Hallowell Elementary School Principal Steve Glaize reminds the community that the first meeting of the 2015-2016 Community Book Club will be held Thursday, Oct. 8, 2015, from 5:30-6:30 PM in the Hallowell Library. The book club is in its eighth year and features lively discussions around topical issues. Child care is available.

The book for 2015-2016 is How Children Succeed by Paul Tough. The author focuses on the widely held assumption that success is tied to the kind of intelligence that is measured on IQ tests, including the ability to recognize letters and words and to calculate and detect patterns. However, he questions this belief with research that suggests that qualities such as persistence, self-control, curiosity, consciousness, grit and self-confidence, may play a more significant role in a child’s success.

The first book club meeting will focus on pages 1-48 and participants will be asked to reflect on these issues:

• How has your parenting or teaching style been influenced by the belief that teaching children at a young age to practice recognizing letters and words, performing calculations and detecting patterns will improve the likelihood that they will be successful?

• Based on your experiences, do you agree with the research discussed by the author? Are qualities such as persistence, self-control and curiosity essential to success?

• Does the school help to develop skills like persistence, self-control and curiosity?

• The author notes that children who grow up in stressful environments, in general, find it hard to focus and follow directions. What can teachers, families and caregivers do to reduce the stress that students may carry with them to the classroom?

The entire community is invited to what promises to be a lively discussion.

Book Club meetings are scheduled for October and November 2015 and January, February, March and April 2016. Meetings begin at 5:30 PM on the same evenings Hallowell Elementary Home and School Association meets, allowing participants to attend the 7:00 PM Home and School meetings.
How Children Succeed will be discussed throughout the year. Participants are encouraged to attend as their schedules permit.

For more information call 215-420-5900.