For the last 5 years of being a language arts teacher I had one major goal in mind: To get my students to ENJOY reading. I don't just mean read because I said they had to read but read because they actually wanted to and enjoyed reading!
As the years went on, this goal got further and further away from being accomplished. Yes we read novels in class and yes a lot of the students enjoyed them. But to actually get a student to check out a book on their own and read for enjoyment was not happening!
Until recently. My colleague and myself came up with an independent novel study to use during our interdependence unit. This meant that students had to check out a book on their own and read it in class for 3 weeks as well as at home. I have to say that when I first started this unit I was scared. I was expecting a lot of resistance and a lot of groans about not wanting to read. And I was right.
Then a magical thing happened. One day we went to the library to check out our books and something emerged. I started to see students actually get excited about books. I had students checking out three books at a time. When I told the them that they only needed one, they responded with "These others are books I am going to read on my own."
This was great but I still had to get them to actually read. The first reading day was incredible. Students who never would've picked out a book on their own were engaged. Then it got even crazier! By the end of the first week I already had students finished with their books and asking to check out more. When it was all said and done, I had students who not only read their novel but 2-3 other books as well. I also had students who were reading in their free time rather than talking with their friends! This was incredible to me.
In the end I have finally reached my goal! I have helped students find the love of reading and the secret is this: let them choose a book that interests them and that they want to read. Simple, right? Students' creativity is so stifled throughout school that giving them back a choice will make all of the difference. Try it sometime, I know it worked for me and now my students have found the love for reading!
As the years went on, this goal got further and further away from being accomplished. Yes we read novels in class and yes a lot of the students enjoyed them. But to actually get a student to check out a book on their own and read for enjoyment was not happening!
Until recently. My colleague and myself came up with an independent novel study to use during our interdependence unit. This meant that students had to check out a book on their own and read it in class for 3 weeks as well as at home. I have to say that when I first started this unit I was scared. I was expecting a lot of resistance and a lot of groans about not wanting to read. And I was right.
Then a magical thing happened. One day we went to the library to check out our books and something emerged. I started to see students actually get excited about books. I had students checking out three books at a time. When I told the them that they only needed one, they responded with "These others are books I am going to read on my own."
This was great but I still had to get them to actually read. The first reading day was incredible. Students who never would've picked out a book on their own were engaged. Then it got even crazier! By the end of the first week I already had students finished with their books and asking to check out more. When it was all said and done, I had students who not only read their novel but 2-3 other books as well. I also had students who were reading in their free time rather than talking with their friends! This was incredible to me.
In the end I have finally reached my goal! I have helped students find the love of reading and the secret is this: let them choose a book that interests them and that they want to read. Simple, right? Students' creativity is so stifled throughout school that giving them back a choice will make all of the difference. Try it sometime, I know it worked for me and now my students have found the love for reading!