In chapter two of Readicide Gallagher, “argues that our students are in desperate need of large doses of authentic reading.” He says that this lack of reading in our schools is derived from three specific factors. First, there is a dearth of interesting reading materials in our schools. Second, many schools have removed novels and other longer challenging works to provide teachers and students with more test preparation time. Third, students are not doing enough reading in school. After addressing each of these issues he goes on to discuss how, as educators, we can correct these problems. He gives us some really good advice in this chapter as to how we can fight Readicide in our classrooms. Of some of the ideas proposed I specifically liked three (although all appear to be good ideas). First, augmenting books with real world text. This would especially be applicable in my filed (history). Gallagher proposes bringing in one article every week that each student can write about. This activity will both broaden my student view by giving them insight into what is going on around them, and connect what they are learning to the real world. This concept of making these larger connections is extremely important in a history classroom, because it is when you connect past to the present that history really comes alive for your students. The second concept I liked was having a library in your classroom. This brings reading directly to your students, and makes it easily assessable for them. The final idea I liked was the comprehensive summer reading program. In my high school we were given a huge list of book we could choose to read over the summer, and asked to read four of them. The list had both classic novels and more contemporary literature. Through this program I discovered some of my own favorite books. It both challenged me as a reader, and at the same time helped to develop my own personal joy for reading. If we can institute a summer reading program in our schools it would be a great tool we can use as educators to help fight Readicide.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Readicide - Chapter 2
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Jake,
ReplyDeleteYou make an good point concerning the need to make larger/authentic connections to real world events-crucial for teaching social studies. Students need to know what they're asked to learn is not antiquated, irrelevant information, but the historical basis for many current policies, actions, viewpoints, and even our cultural identity as Americans.
The classroom library is a particularly good way to get students interested in reading-bring it too them and give them the opportunity to choose reading material from a diverse selection of classical and contemporary literature. I liked this idea so much, I started acquiring a number of cheap youth novels to put in my room someday. With all this testing focus in the core areas- maybe social studies is one of the few places the time for silent reading, and reading for fun is available.
Allison makes a great point that social studies could be a good place to continue to make time for silent reading.
ReplyDeleteJake, I gotta tell you about my summer reading experiences so you go in with your eyes open. I was supposed to read something like five books each summer in high school. Our opportunities to demonstrate that we actually read the books included writing traditional papers, making posters about the book, and taking a test on one book. I put _Their Eyes Were Watching God_ by Hurston on my list of books I wanted credit for reading over the summer. I never so much as opened that book, and I made a poster of some eyes looking upward toward a cross. I got credit, but I am confident to this day that my poster had nothing to do with the book. I also suspect that my teachers knew I didn't read the book, based on my poster. So, I have some encouragements for you. First, please give kids book lists and some idea about the plot or interesting characters in the book. I think they'll be more inclined to get started on a book and to finish it. Second, make the assignments related to the book interesting and authentic. The poster is probably a good idea, and there are others out there. Papers or tests are a pain, but I like the test idea for some kids because it requires no creativity. Third, help students match their abilities in reading in your discipline to books that will work for them. I had no idea what it mattered what color Gatsby's car was, and _Heart of Darkness_ is on my list of books I've read and have no clue what it was about. That's my two cents about summer reading.
I really think that you make great point Jake about authentic reading. This is one of the most prevalent parts of Gallagher's argument in Readicide. I also really like some of the strategies that you offer, Jennifer, about introducing books. This does give students a peak in interest in the book and makes them more inclined to read it if they at least know what they will be reading. This information can also be helpful in deciding on books that they do not want to read. I think that another side to this is showing students that it is ok to not be interested in reading everything, but that there are some books that they will have an interest in.
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