Helping students get excited about reading can be a challenge.
However, a local school district is putting an interesting spin on getting students excited about and focused on reading.
The library at Copley-Fairlawn Middle School looks like most others.
“I’m reading Allies by Alan Gratz,” said Connor Fortin, a 7th grader.
“And, I’m reading City Spies by James Ponti,” added Liam Kist, a 7th grader.
But, amid the books are bikes!
Malia Williams, who’s in the fifth grade, said they’re probably her favorite thing about school.
They are called Read and Rides.
Students in grades 5th through 8th at the middle school silently spin while turning pages during certain periods.
“We were noticing that the students had a hard time sitting still and reading,” said Connie Tyree, a librarian.
She came up with the idea. She said it evolved from under-desk ellipticals to the Fit Desks. The school has about half a dozen.
“I think it helps students to focus,” said Tyree.
Research shows that movement improves concentration, relieves stress and increases retention, especially in the classroom. The kids agreed and said they love it.
“The Read and Rides fill up so quickly because they’re very popular,” said Addelyn Weigand, a 5th grader.
“When you’re pedaling, and you’re reading, you just kind of get lost, and everything is calm, and you get sucked into the story,” explained Danielle Aloo, an 8th grader.
Much like Danielle, the students said not only does it help them feel more relaxed, but also more energized.
“And my mind is clearer because school is stressful sometimes,” said Camille McNair, a 6th grader. “So, it’s nice to take a break and read.”
“It’s a great way of meshing mental health and physical health into one,” said Connor.
The students usually Read and Ride for about 15-20 minutes, and you feel the burn.
“You definitely get a good workout in for your legs, for sure,” smiled Anh Dang, an 8th grader.
It is not just the Read and Rides. That is just one of the many creative ways they use here to try to instill a life-long love of libraries in the students and all the possibilities they hold.
Michelle Knoblock works alongside Tyree in the middle school’s media center.
Both women have children and approach their work from not only an educator’s perspective but also a mom’s. They know the importance of literacy and reading for enjoyment.
Knoblock said she incorporates book cafes so students can get a “taste” of the different styles of books to find what speaks to them, and maker’s spaces with STEM and STEAM projects to grow and enrich learning.
“It’s really just to have fun because,” said Tyree. “I feel like having fun creates the best learning environment. When you’re having fun, you lose all that extra pressure to be cool, which is really important in middle school, and you really are your best self.”
“Whatever is going to grab their attention and help them to enjoy reading, that’s what this library is about,” said Tyree.
The Fit Desks are about $300 each. The Parent Teacher Student Association for Copley-Fairlawn Middle School covered the cost.
While this school did not use it, there is a national Read and Ride program, as well. The organizer said they’ve helped more than 500 schools secure bikes for their students since the program started a decade ago. You can send them a message, and they can help schools interested in the program.
