To match student with books for our social issues unit, I first grouped the kids and then had each group come to an agreement on which was their top choice out of several options. I subtly steered certain groups toward books I thought would be good matches for them.
What a happy accident when one boy, who spends a large portion of his time distracting others, found a strong connection with one of the books and convinced his group mates to pick that one.
“This kid has OCD, and so do I!”
“Really? Thanks for sharing that. You’ll have such a valuable perspective to share with your group!”
“Yeah!” he enthusiastically responded.
We began reading the books today, and I sat in with his group for the first few pages. When we read that the main character, who has OCD, was writing a story and wrote the first page over 54 times, he said, “Wow. Mine isn’t that bad.”
As he left class he declared, “This book is the best!”
He’s probably only about 15 pages in, but finding a meaningful connection has set him up for success. Choice does matter.
My Corner of the Village 