Photo credit  https://bookwhisperer.com/book...

A teacher at Greater Johnstown High School, Melissa Cabo, requires students to read one book a month because she wants each student to learn something new on their own. Some students are really enjoying reading the books, she said. “ I cannot remember when I started the book project but I believe it’s been 3-4 years ."

Cabo also said, “Some students complain at first, but then find that they’ve enjoyed their book. Many students enjoyed the assignment because they can pick what they want to read. A few choose not to to read or participate, but I don’t give up on them."

Cabo said the idea came from a graduate class that she read two books for,“ The Book Whisperer” by Donalyn Miller and “Readline” by Kelly Gallagher.  She said “I am absolutely going to keep doing the book project. I hope to do it every year unit I retire . 

A student who Cabo had in eleventh grade Cara Harbaugh, who is now  in twelfth grade, explained how she felt about the one book a month reading.  She said, “Doing Mrs. Cabo's reading requirement has impacted me because before I had her as a teacher last year, I never read. Reading to me was like a job that I did not want to do." She also said, “The outcome of doing this made me fall in love with reading and still to this day I read just for fun! 

Alijah McDay
GJSD Journalism Staff Member