Mark Lowe
I really liked the idea of sharing with students why to read
and helping them find reasons to read away from purely academic reasons. Too
often we focus too much on reading just for academic reasons and not enough on
finding reasons to read for enjoyment. I think that too often we try to create
too much of a divide between what we do at school and what can be done
recreationally. When I looked at some of her reasons that she listed in the
chapter (looking at reviews, wanting to know what’s next, and browsing through
book stores) I see a lot of similarities between them and what we do with film
and pop culture. We go to reviews for choosing a movie to watch, movie sequels
are often the most popular and browsing through bookstores is no different from
flipping through channels or Netflix. In recent years I have become more and
more convinced that the best way to improve reading with students is not with
focusing on their reading levels, but more about focusing on what they are
interested in, whether its sports, science, teen dramas or what I have had lots
of success with in (super-hero)comics. We have made reading too much of a chore
for students and need to look for more ways that we can get through to their
interest and find a way to get them to WANT to read.
Mark, I agree with your point on focusing too heavily on levels. The most progress I've ever seen in my students is when they were allowed to choose the books they read. Allowing that choice in your own classroom can only benefit your students. I'm assuming you've read the chapter by Routman on sharing your reading life. I'm glad you see the value in sharing what you really read (not just novels) on a daily basis. Reading needs to become meaningful to students. By allowing choice and showing them how reading is used in the real world, we make the subject more attainable and authentic.
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