The job of a teacher at a student care centre is not just to take care of students. Helping your student developing a good personality is also part of your job.

As per, modern classic Goerge R.R. Martin “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, the man who never reads lives only one.”

Such is the importance of good reading. Kids are like a brand new canvas. They soak information from everything, and the source of information must be perfect.

This is the reason why you should always encourage your students to read.

If a pupil is reading the right books it will keep them engaged. So chances of the kid turning into a troublemaker fall.

In today’s world of social media and cell phones, and television, reading will work like brain-fuel for the kids.

So here is the complete student care centre guide on how to develop reading habits in your students:

The book board

You can install a book board in the classroom and ask your students to mention books they like. Students must write their favorite quote from the books too.

The first name on the board should be yours. Set the example for your students and tell them what the books you like to read are.

Update the board after every two weeks, compliment every student who is participating and encourage others to join too.

But in a scenario like this make sure you are not bully or dropping the morale of any student who is not reading.

Student takes, too much encouragement as nagging, so keep note of this also.

Read yourself

You cannot ask your students something which you don’t follow yourself. Make sure to bring a book with you into the classroom.

Read when you are free, and if the students are spotting you doing so, it is perfect.

You must lead from the front. If they have you as an inspiration, this will serve two purposes one they read more and two this strengthen your bond with students.

Ask parents to read

Charity begins at the home, isn’t it? Ask the parents of your student care center’s kids to read a little by themselves too.

Gone are the days when students when students fall for quotes like “read because this is what cool kids do,” kids look for the role models now.

If a child is spotting everyone around him/her is reading then, it may trick him/her into thinking that it is just ‘what everyone does.’

While involving parent into this is somewhat a tough job, you have to convince them. After all, it is for the betterment of the kids.

Help them deciding the genre

 Kids sometimes don’t know what they are looking for and end up losing interest in the activity because it is utterly dull.

As a student care centre teacher, you can help the little ones in situations like these by suggesting them which book to choose.

Observe every student’s movement and habits and identify her/his interest.

If any kid is confused about the selection of the book to read or the genre of the book, help him/her decide.

Make sure the book you are suggesting has a lot of pictures in it, kids love this.

Also, take notice that the suggested book is not too spooky or violent for the kid. Books rating system can assist you well in this task nicely.

Talk about books

Verbal encouragement is essential in this chore. Start with something more interesting than “so reading is cool huh?”

Took an interesting story from the book you have read. You might as well want to practice it once or twice at home before narrating the story in the classroom.

Telling students about lives of great authors and their struggle may also help attract students into reading.

Tell the kids about lives of Franz Kafka or John Milton, especially John, who was blind and still managed to write an epic.

This will arouse curiosity in children to read what a differently-abled person wrote.

Invite authors into the class

 If you are lucky enough to have an author in your town, then ask him/her to visit your class once.

This is an excellent way of promoting a love of reading in your class. Convince the author to discuss his/her books with the students and organize a question-answer round after the book discussion.

This will inspire students to read more as well as to write more.

Thumbs down

Allow your students to tell which book they don’t like and ask them to describe the facts that make them, unlike any book.

Request them to write ‘why they don’t like any particular book’ and allow them to talk about why they think so.

Then discuss the reasons with the kid, but in privacy, or kid may think you are insulting him/her in front of his/her peers.

The book bond

 Request students to swap books with a note why the other person should read the book they are trading.

Motif behind this exercise is psychological, people need others to like their things, and competitive kids will love it.

This will also ensure that a student reads a book thoroughly he is about to swap.

To tell others about the positives of a book, s/he has to read the book at least twice which is healthy for kids’ brain.

You should also follow the practice; this may help you understand your kids more while increasing your knowledge as well.

Ending note

Kids are gentle souls and learn very fast; books will help them appreciate the world in a more meaningful approach.

You never know what book will change a kid’s life for good, so always cheer them up about reading.

A free mind is devil’s workshop; books will not only keep them engaged but also help them learn something useful.

Teachers should also use technology in their campaign for books. Everyone knows how much kids love the technology. Introduce e-books into your classroom or install apps like Book Creator and turn your students into mini authors.