I don’t know about you but I love to read and I often have 1 or 2 books on the go at the same time. One of the requirements of Investment Year is that the students read 18 books through the year (Yes you read right, 18 books!). I love that at the beginning of the year we introduce this part of the programme and the look of disbelief, fear and the comments from the students that this is an impossible task!
Start when they are young!
As the year progresses it’s exciting to see our students with their books, not just reading them but also enjoying them, and enjoying them so much that some of them will read more the required 18! Many of our students have only ever really ‘read’ text books so to see them discover that books have so much more to offer, it is exciting and I trust it changes them for life as they become people who read for enjoyment, knowledge and life.
Working on a book report and reflection.
Out of the 18 books they read, 7 of them are compulsory (eg, Is Africa Cursed?, Louder Than Words, Long Road to Hope – the story of NHU, and I Love Idi Amin to mention a few) and for the rest of the required reading they can chose between two main sections of Novels/Biographies and Development & Growth. For each book they read they have to write a book report, not just about the book but we are interested in their engagement with the book: we want them to evaluate their response to the book, how did it make them think and feel. Did they enjoy it or not and why or why not? How has this book challenged their world view? What, if any, is there life application after reading this book?
When I have read a great book I want to tell everybody about it and encourage them to read it, (12 Years a Slave is one I have read recently, though a tough read, what a story). We are always on the lookout to increase our IY library so if you have any recommendations, please let me know, or of you want to donate books you have read and are just sitting on a shelf, we will gladly receive them. Books and reading has certainly been one of the ways that God uses to develop skills, knowledge and character in our IY students.
– Steve Brown, IY Programme Coordinator
On this link is a wish list of books we would love to add to IY library, please take a look when you have time. Wish List http://www.amazon.co.uk/registry/wishlist/J6L4PHNAXXXD/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_ws_8biAtb1GFVFRM via @AmazonUK
If you are interested in learning further about the IY Programme, please visit our page. Please visit the donations page to support the IY Programme.