West Blog 2: The Pleasure Principle

     I LOVE this article and agree with everything stated.  Reading Workshop truly works, and I have always used it in my classroom.  Students need a mini-lesson and then that 20-30 minutes to get lost in their book.  Students need to be reading books that they have chosen because they need to know themselves as readers.   When they know themselves as readers, they are better prepared to pick out books that will lock them in and take them into their "zone".  Readers also need to know that it is ok to abandon books, but no frequently.  Teachers need to model real-world reading with their students. Students need to understand when to abandon books, how to choose books, how to participate in book talks, and how to be a life long reader.
     Students need choice and direction in what they reading.  When I say direction, I do not mean the teacher telling them what they should read.  Instead the teacher should expose his/her class to a variety to genres and authors through read alouds.  It is through these read alouds that students begin to get "in the zone" as the article states.  I love when I am getting to a suspenseful part in a story, and I look around and see still, focused students with their eyes begging me not to stop there.  I also love when time is up, I have stopped at a "good part", and I catch a student stealing my book to try and read ahead.  There is also that proud teacher moment when my timer goes off indicating reading is over and I hear the voices of my students begging for five more minutes.  It is that moment when I just smile and give them five more minutes because that is five more minutes when I can talk to my students about the books they are reading or read more with my guided reading group.  At the end of reading time, I give them time to talk with a friend about what they have read.  It is during this time, I listen, jump into the conversation (if I've read the book), or watch students share or continue to read.
    Conversations are also vitally important.  These conversations need to be between students and/or students and teachers.  During the school year, I will read books that are appropriate for my students, so I can model book talks and recommend books to students.  Educators must teach students that talking about a book does not involve comprehension questions found on a test nor does it involve one word answers.  When talking about a book, you should hook the listener and give them enough information so they can decide if they want to put that on their list of books to read.  Conversations help students comprehend what they are reading by allowing them to share their thoughts with others.
      As teachers, our goal is to create life long learners and readers.  Through workshop, you can create these types of readers.