Many of us love to read; it’s a wonderful activity. It’s something usually done alone, often with a cup of tea and a litany of ‘just one more chapter and then I’ll go to bed! However, there’s something special about a shared reading experience. We have the ability to laugh, cry, ponder the same questions and overall experience a range of emotions with one another. I think that’s why book clubs are so popular. We just have to talk to someone about what we just experienced (read).

This week our school started our Big Read where we, students and staff, can all read the same book. I Am Malala has several reading levels and is translated into Spanish making it a wonderful choice for the inclusion of all our students. We love the theme of the importance of education. And where better to share that message but in a school and who better to share it with than students and staff together.

On Wednesday, we started our weekly Chai & Chat sessions – one of the many activities scheduled for the Big Read. Again, there’s nothing better than a book and a cup of tea! We sat in the school library sipping chai, some tasting it for the first time, and since we just got the books in, we read an excerpt aloud each participant taking a turn. It was a moving experience as was the discussion of education around the world.

I’m looking forward to many more Wednesdays.