This weekly Artsy Book Club is meant to put reading and art together in one fun class!  Learners will be more motivated to stick to their personal reading schedule each week since they will be coming to a class where they will make something fun that relates to the book.  Does your learner enjoy creating art or creative writing?  If so, they will get a chance to sharpen their creative thinking skills with a new activity each week.  I can't wait to see what they come up with!  

The first part of each class will be discussing what book your learner is currently reading and your learner will share their thoughts on the story and characters of the book.  The second and majority part of the class will be on creating either art or a fictional piece inspired by the book or based on the chapters read that week.  (Any art your learner has made outside of class can always be shown and discussed as well.) Because this is an on-going class, learners can join and quit at any time.  

The following is simply an example outline- it can be adjusted to fit your learner's individual preferences.

Week One:  If you were a character in this novel, who would you be?  Learners will be encouraged to think about where they personally would fit it with the story.  They can either create a whole new character for themselves or they can draw the character they most relate to.  Learners can draw, paint, or do digital art for this exercise. 

Week Two:  How would the book's characters react if they were suddenly in new surroundings?  I will give learners a choice of three interesting scenarios and learners will write a short story using characters from the book.  

Week Three:  Paint the Mood of this Book:  Learners will think about the kind of mood conveyed in the story.  Is it dark and eerie?  Is it light and whimsical?  Is it fun and relaxed?  Learners will then paint a location or scene based on this mood.  Learners will be encouraged to add in little things from the book into their painting to make it more meaningful. 

Week Four:  Learners will create either a comic strip or draw a single picture with dialogue using the characters from the book they are reading.  

Week Five: Cover Art!:  Learners will design their own book cover for the book they're reading.  Learners can draw, paint, or do digital art for this exercise. 

Each week that follows will follow a similar format as listed above.  We will meet to discuss the books we are currently reading and your learner will be able to tell me about what they read for the week along with sharing something creative they may have made.  The majority of each class will be spent on creating something artistic that is inspired by the book they are reading.  (Also, if they have made anything outside of class that was inspired by a book they've read, they are encouraged to bring it to class as I'd love to see it.)

***As this is a tailored 1:1 class, learners will have the freedom to choose what kind of creative project to do each class.  For example, they can choose between drawing, painting, creative writing, comic strip making, etc.)***

The focus of this book club is not simply to check reading comprehension as would typically be found in an English class book discussion.  Rather, the goal of this book club is to make reading fun and enjoyable by giving learners an opportunity for them to share information with others through their art work and creative writing!  I would also love to hear how they are liking the book so far (or what they don't like).  Which characters do they relate to the most?  What do they think will happen next?  

Note:  If learners need assistance on creating a tailored reading schedule, we can set aside part of our first class together to create one!  Creating a good reading schedule is always the first step if your learner does not yet have one. 

Looking for a more structured format with assigned pages/chapters each week?  
Because this is a one on one class, it can be tailored to fit your preferences!  For instance, if you would like for us to cover a certain number of pages or chapters each week we can certainly do this.  

Looking for a monthly book club instead? 
If your learner would prefer to meet only once a month, or whenever they complete a new book, this would be fine too.  It's really up to you.  The beauty of on-going classes is the ability to subscribe and unsubscribe as needed so your learner can take it weekly, every other week, or monthly as preferred. 

Is your learner a reluctant reader?
Believe it or not, I used to be a reluctant reader myself!  I discovered it was because I never read outside of what my teachers required me to read.  It was only once I started reading books of my own choosing that I discovered the power and magic of stories.  The library is now my favorite place to be!  I encourage any reluctant reader to find a book that interests them personally so that they can find reading more enjoyable.  I also find that by including other fun aspects to the mix, such as sharing what they are reading with others and by making art to go along with it, it can make the book experience that much more engaging!

Does your learner prefer writing rather than art?
If your learner enjoys writing more than art, I can always encourage your child to do a writing assignment instead.  However, because this book club is meant to help learners view reading as something relaxing more than simply another school class, I wouldn't recommend this for any reluctant readers unless they actually enjoy writing.  

Is your learner a fellow book worm?
So many books, so little time!  May they keep on experiencing the beauty of books.  I look forward to hearing all about the latest story adventure that they've embarked on!  Depending on how fast they read, we may possibly discuss many books.  

Don't see a day/time listed that's convenient for your learner?  
Feel free to reach out to me with a day/time request!