Club Read: When I Grow Up
"When I Grow Up" Booklists
Printable PDFs
Research
Reading stories about how others have worked toward goals and experienced success can produce feelings of positive encouragement for students.
Experiencing the pursuit of a goal by identifying with a character in a book will create a "spark" of enthusiasm, along with awareness that someone else HAS achieved the same goals.
According to the Search Institute*, a nonprofit agency whose mission is to help people understand what students need to succeed and to take action based on that knowledge, "A spark is something that gives your life meaning and purpose. Sparks can ignite a lifelong vocation or career, or balance other activities to create an emotionally satisfying, enriched life."
For a spark to thrive, it must be nurtured. Make inspirational stories, such as the ones listed in the booklists above, available for students to read as part of that nurturing process. According to Search Institute studies, as your students' sparks are fueled, they will thrive and become more energetic, caring, responsible, healthy, and productive.
*www.ignitesparks.com