Free Choice

When my daughter began sixth grade, she started a new school. She loved all of her new teachers and made friends easily. She had a fantastic reading teacher that had a classroom full of books (her personal collection). Her reading teacher immersed her students in literature and they loved it. She also had a fabulous librarian (me :) who shared her love of reading. 

Having always been in the G/T program, my daughter was excited about all the things the new school's G/T program offered. Part of this program was Battle of the Books. Students were required to read a certain number of books for this program (in addition to the reading requirement for their reading class). Here lies the problem. Students were being required to read books they were not interested in. At the end of the first nine weeks, my daughter made the choice to drop out of the G/T program because she was being forced to read books that did not interest her. 

When students, especially at a younger age, are forced to read books they are not interested in, they begin to loose interest in reading.  They begin to see reading as a chore or homework instead of reading for pleasure. When students are given a choice in what to read they will read more, they will enjoy reading, and they will read just because! They will begin seeking out books to read instead of waiting for book assignments. 

Students should be allowed to dislike a book. They should be allowed to abandon a book if they choose to do so. And they should not be made to feel guilty about it. 

It's disappointing when a student misses out on a wonderful opportunity because they are being forced to read books they are not interested in. Once you turn a child away from reading it is hard to reel them back in. 

Give them choices, lots of choices!

"Becoming a Classroom of Readers"
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar10/vol67/num06/Becoming-a-Classroom-of-Readers.aspx

"Top 5 Reasons To Let Kids Choose Their Own Books"

https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/top-5-reasons-to-let-kids-choose-their-own-books-2/

"One Size Does Not Fit All" by Shelia Limbaugh

As a "homeschool mom", I have had the joy of teaching my 3 children to read.  One thing became readily apparent - there was no "one size fits all" .  My oldest daughter loved reading from the beginning.  She literally devoured books, and we were "frequent flyers" at the county library.  This was a source of comfort for me as I am a devout reader! It is pure enjoyment for me!!  My second child, also a daughter, did not want to read.  She loved being read to, but did not want to read herself.  She tried to comfort me one day by telling me she was not a reader like her sister or myself and not to expect it. (sigh) She did enjoy the library, even though it was a playhouse for her instead of a source of reading material.  Then when she reached high school age, she "became a reader"!  Wonder of wonders!  In fact, as an adult, she is a high school English teacher and an aggressive  promoter of reading?  (I am still not sure how that came about.)  Now my third child is a boy, and he is the typical male non-reader.  Does he have the ability to read? Of course!  Does he have any desire to read? Of course not!  Is he required to read? Absolutely!  As an adult, will he read for relaxation, comfort, or enjoyment?  Unless something drastically changes, probably not. But he will be able to read comprehensively at any level he needs to.

I have reached the understanding that everyone is not going to be a "reader",  but everyone must have the ability to read.  Of course, the more you read the benefits are wonderful - vocabulary, comprehension, information, etc.; however, those of us who are "readers" do so because it is unthinkable to not pick up that book!  We rarely think about the benefits to us - it is pure enjoyment!  Those who are not "readers" are given great encouragement and support, but the fact is, they may never just pick up a book for the sole purpose of enjoying it. 

It really is true - "one size does not fit all"!  And that is okay!  My son, who only reads library books because it is a requirement, can read schematics and blueprints when he is building computers. (He is 16 year old.) He can literally "read" those things!  Hhhhhmmmm...........  perhaps there are different ways to read that bring enjoyment?  

Read on!

Books: My Magic

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”

― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft  

I love books mainly because I have discovered that Stephen King is right. Books are magic! When I was a kid my parents and grandparents encouraged me to read.I can remember my Mama Maggie, Granny Jett, and Grandpa Cornelius reading to me and my Papa Jack having me read to him. Papa didn’t know how to read, so he knew how important it was for me to be a reader. My family made sure I was supplied with books. I was never told no when I ask for a new one.

The first books I can remember falling in love with were the Nancy Drew books. I wanted to be a girl detective like Nancy when I grew up. I still have my collection of Nancy Drew (all fifty something of them) in my bedroom. Nancy was not my only love; I also read Encyclopedia Brown, Pippi Longstocking, and Ralph the Motorcycle Mouse. I devoured books.

As I entered my teenage years, I discover the Flowers in the Attic books, Harlequin romances, and my one true love in books, Stephen King. During all of this, my parents never told me books were bad, I shouldn’t be reading that book, or in any way discouraged me from reading. I did hear why do you and Kim want to read that stuff by King, but never a “no.” They both read, so naturally I should read also.

Parents tell me everyday, “I can’t get them to read” talking about their kids. My question is: do you read? It is imperative that parents model what they want to see in their children. If parents don’t show their children that reading is important by engaging in reading themselves, their kids won’t read.  My parents read to me. I saw them and my grandparents reading. Even my Papa Jack, who could not read or write, looked at the newspaper every day, so I saw these people who were important in my life, that I looked up to, modeling a behavior that was passed on to me.

It was natural for me, starting when I married into a step-son, that I would read to my kids. Every night, there was a story before bedtime. Kids books were plentiful in my house. Dr. Seuss, Ninja Turtles, Goosebumps, and eventually, that new true love in the form of a boy wizard, Harry Potter littered bedroom floors and bedtime rituals. At book fair, I would buy seven or eight books and be ask for more the next week. I was happy to spend the money. Why? Because studies show that kids who read at least twenty minutes a day are the ones who are honor roll students not only in elementary and secondary schools but also in their college days. And I, like Stephen King, know that “Books are a uniquely portable magic” that I want in my life and my kids lives everyday.

Thoughts About Reading

I love to read. In a conversation I started with some of my students about reading the readers told the non-readers that they would like reading also if they found the "right" book. Wouldn't it be great if as teachers we could snap our fingers and produce the "right" book for the students who don't like to read. During the conversation I asked if they were reading during RTI. On Monday during our RTI block 25 minutes is dedicated to reading. Most said that they were reading during this time. One student said that she preferred to read only nonfiction, and that she was reading the same nonfiction article over and over during the reading time. This student is a senior who plans to go to college. I keep telling them that the ACT is mostly a reading test and that college level reading is harder than what they are reading in high school.  On my classroom door I have a chart that shows how much  students can improve their ACT test scores by reading every day. I don't think it is having that much impact on them even though it is in black and white and prominently displayed so that they can see it every time they walk out my door. Reading is a joyful experience for me. I love to pick up a book and become immersed into the plot and the characters and find myself holding my breath without knowing it until I have to breathe. I don't know how to convey that kind of experience to students who not only don't read but seem set on not reading. Not being able to read at grade level is a problem that we as educators are having to address more and more. It handicaps us as teachers to teach the texts we need to teach. I don't have any answers, but I am wondering where and when we have the opportunity to turn kids on to the enthralling adventures they can encounter between the pages of the "right" book. Anybody out there want to share some thoughts about that?

Motivation to Read

Motivation. As defined by Webster, motivation is a force or influence that causes someone to do something. When dealing with teens, reading becomes a game in which they keep score. If they read a book then what reward, or score, will they receive? Some type of motivation is needed to levitate any reaction from them regarding reading. If there are no major grades involved and no personal interest, student will go days without cracking the covers of a single book. As heartbreaking as this is, the percentages seem to be rising.

At Batesville High, the English Language Arts department faces this problem daily. Our curriculum institutes Accountable Independent Reading (AIR) as portion of the students’ grades, but, as the teacher have noticed, the accountability of a weekly grade does not motivate reading. Yes, there are some students that love to read. The accountability grades did not change their reading habits. Other, lacking a reading habit, failed to start a routine of reading. Instead, they turned in doctored reading logs showing consistent reading of books they never even cracked open.

With that being said, we come back to the question of how to motivate. We can try as many extrinsic motivators as we can, but in the end I feel that the motivation must come from a heart determined to read. Reading becomes a lifestyle. So, to create an atmosphere of reading, teachers need to help develop this reading lifestyle. Once this is established, we should see a different culture of students in the classrooms. This does not only happen at the secondary level. This is easy applicable for elementary, for it is in the lower grades reading is introduced to the students. If they see an eagerness from a young age, there is a chance this love for reading can be established early on.  

Resources:

http://understandingteenagers.com.au/blog/the-7-secrets-of-motivating-teenagers/

http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/creating-readers/creating-reading-culture/engaging-teens-reading

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/education/a/teen_reading.htm

Oh Those Boys!

Oh Those Boys!

     As a teacher, one of the most frequently asked questions I receive is "how do I get my son to read?" It's a question that has puzzled many minds. It's one I've contemplated day after day and night after night. I stress about whether or not my male students are ready for the standardized tests coming up - will they be able to get the reading done in a timely manner AND answer the questions?

     As I lay awake in bed contemplating this (and generally starting to hyperventilate), I now have a new thought that crosses my mind: how am I going to ensure that my own son reads (if I wasn't fully hyperventilating already, I'm definitely there now!)? I know all the statistics. I know how important it is for him to be a fluent reader. I know the challenges that often accompany trying to get a boy, of any age, to read. Most of all, I know what his father is like (he would rather be passing a kidney stone than reading).

     After my husband brings me my brown paper bag to breath into (remember folks, I'm hyperventilating over this - it's SERIOUS!) and I regain control of my lungs, I decide to delve even deeper into research about boys and reading than I ever have. So, here are just a few websites I have found that has given me hope, ideas, and inspiration for not only my students, but also for that precious little boy who is growing inside of me (by the way, his name is Cayden Lee Nicholas Grady...not that you wanted to know that, but I wanted you to know it):

• http://www.pbs.org/parents/best-books-for-boys/6-ways-to-encourage-your-son-to-read.html - This website has tons of great ideas for helping boys find "things" (yes, I say "things" because books are not their only options, and "things" is much more descriptive (sarcasm)) to read that will interest them. It also has great ideas for the best times and methods for reading with them.  
• http://www.guysread.com/ - This website discusses how to build boys into lifelong readers, and it also gives a great collection of the best books for boys of ALL ages! Every month they feature a new book that is specifically written with boys in mind. You can read the synopsis of the book on their website, and it even has a link to where you can order the book from!
• http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/55245 - This blog discusses how to use media as a means to get boys hooked on reading. We know, by research and experience, that boys are very visual. This is why they are more prone than girls to play video games - they can actually see and be a part of the story rather than create images themselves in an "imaginary" world. Dr. Julie Wood discusses how Kindles, Nooks, etc. are often great ''books" for boys because the books you can download on these technology devices often come with interactive pages and often games to play at the end of the stories (this checks their comprehension without them even knowing it).

     I hope you have time to visit these websites at some point. I found them very interesting (they have lots of research crammed into them), and I have hope that they will provide me with the ideas that will be necessary for ensuring my little boy becomes at least a little bit of a reader (remember folks, he has half of his father's genetics, so these methods can only go so far).

A New Year = More Books to Read

Just wanted to take a moment to share three titles with you that my students are enjoying.  Always looking for titles that might engage readers...for those who love it and especially for those who don't appreciate this hobby as I do.

I wrote a grant last summer to buy books for our student book club.  The following are the first three:

• The Iron Trial by popular authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare:  the first in a series, this novel's protagonist is a male.  Have you noticed that so many of the heroes are actually heroines? Currently, I only have one copy of the next in the series The Copper Gauntlet...need more, as they all want to read the next one as soon as they finish the first. Please read more here on my book review blog about this series.
• The Red Queen by 24-year-old Victoria Aveyard (once you begin reading, you will understand why I included her age...such a good writer):  Main character Mare is both a Silver and a Red...and finds herself betrothed to one of the two Princes.  Lots of twists and turns (literally...as the Queen has the power to take over your mind and inflict great pain).  This one is the first of three...and plans are underway to take The Red Queen to the big screen.  Yes, please read before watching!  A must!
• The Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons:  A stand-alone.  These seem more uncommon nowadays, don't they?  This novel, too, takes the reader to a dystopic society where women are valued primarily as breeders, which is main character Aya's future as she has been captured and will soon be auctioned...or will she?

Currently, as we speak, the faculty book read for January is being discussed.  Unless minds and opinions change, we will be reading The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens or Troubled Waters by Sharon Shinn (this one was recommend by author Gretchen Rubin as one of her three monthly recommendations for January)...or both over the next two months.   

For our local book store's book club (now celebrating its 15th year!), we are reading Turn Away Thy Son by Arkansan Elizabeth Jacoway, who wrote about the Little Rock Central Nine.

Then for personal, spiritual growth, I am reading Beth Moore's new book Audacious.  So very good...and so very timely for me.  I have also begun Alistair Begg's Pathway to Freedom for a Sunday evening study and am working through Beth Moore's Jesus The One and Only for our Making Choices Bible Study Group.

Please share...

• What are you reading good?  
• Why are you reading this book(s)?
• Would you recommend this book to us?  Why or why not?

Happy reading!

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This post previously published at Treasure Chest of Thoughts.