LM_NET: Library Media Networking
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Kay Goss wrote:
> I just had a discouraging thought and I must share it with someone. As I
> processed new books, mainly fiction, I realized that the books that I have
> ordered-the books students will read, are predominantly easy books.
>
> I want them to read A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice, etc. They
> want to read Ramona Quimby Age 8, Hatchet, Saving Shiloh, etc.
>
> Not that I don't see the value of fun books--I read Stephen King and Mary
> Higgins Clark. It's just that as an idealist, as an avid reader myself since
> childhood, I would like to think that more students today enjoy reading and
> better yet strive to read classic fiction as I did.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
Hi Kay,
As a high school media specialist and an avid reader myself, I can sympathize
and empathize with you. I, too, have been dismayed by not only the lack of
pleasure reading our students do, but also the choices they make when they do
read. Unfortunately, we probably will continue to see this as long as
television, computers and video games are popular. I also believe, however,
that there are ways to combat this problem and begin to reach some kids. I
also believe that there are more kids than we might be aware of that are
reading more adult books if not the "classics".
We have a reading program in place in our high school where the schedule
includes 30 minutes daily/4 days per week when the whole school (1900 students
& staff) reads. As part of the program, freshmen only participate in
Accelerated Reader, and can earn 1/4 or 1/2 credit in independent reading.
(There are other incentives, too.) Each 9th grader has a reading mentor (all
faculty, counselors & administrators have a mentor group) they meet with once a
week to keep them on track. Also, they receive a letter grade for it.
This is our second year with the program and our fiction circulation #'s have
really jumped and this year's 10th graders are still checking out books. On a
good note, I have had a number of the sophomores tell me they are glad they
went through the AR program because they are reading more and enjoying it AND
they are doing better in their classes. YEA!!! That was our hope when we
started the program. On a downer note... your original concern about what
they are reading is still a problem; but the reality is that at least half of
our freshmen test below grade level, and half of those test at more than 2
grades below grade level. I cannot believe that this problem is just ours.
Since kids DON'T read and probably haven't been read to when younger, they
cannot read well and are easily frustrated by the books we would like them to
read. That is why they think these books are "boring" or "too long".
I think our efforts have produced some results and I'm happy about that. But
the larger issue cannot be solved by us (teachers/librarians) alone. As with
so many of the ills of public education and kids, it goes back to parenting,
and specifically the reading example (or lack of) set by parents. I wish I had
the answer, or maybe parents reading and reading to their children is the
answer, so I wish I knew how to implement the answer. In the meantime, all we
can do is keep promoting books and reading for fun and hope that with reading
practice they will eventually mature from YA books to the "classics" we all
know and love. At least they are reading, even if the books they pick are
"light-weight".
One last thing in my ramblings... While I share many of the concerns about the
relative "light-weight" & "fast-action" nature of much YA literature, there
still are many excellent titles. They may not be our favorite classics, but
they are still good stories. Let's keep up the fight for books, reading and
great literature!!!
Jana Achbach, LIS
Arvada High School
Arvada, CO 80004
jachbach@jeffco.k12.co.us
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<HTML>
Kay Goss wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>I just had a discouraging thought and I must share
it with someone. As I processed new books, mainly fiction, I realized
that the books that I have ordered-the books students will read, are predominantly
easy books.
<P>I want them to read A Tale of Two Cities, Pride and Prejudice, etc.
They want to read Ramona Quimby Age 8, Hatchet, Saving Shiloh, etc.
<P>Not that I don't see the value of fun books--I read Stephen King and
Mary Higgins Clark. It's just that as an idealist, as an avid reader
myself since childhood, I would like to think that more students today
enjoy reading and better yet strive to read classic fiction as I did.
<P>Thanks for listening.
<BR> </BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Kay,
<P>As a high school media specialist and an avid reader myself, I can sympathize
and empathize with you. I, too, have been dismayed by not only the
lack of pleasure reading our students do, but also the choices they make
when they do read. Unfortunately, we probably will continue to see
this as long as television, computers and video games are popular.
I also believe, however, that there are ways to combat this problem and
begin to reach <B>some</B> kids. I also believe that there are more
kids than we might be aware of that are reading more adult books if not
the "classics".
<P>We have a reading program in place in our high school where the schedule
includes 30 minutes daily/4 days per week when the whole school (1900 students
& staff) reads. As part of the program, freshmen only participate
in Accelerated Reader, and can earn 1/4 or 1/2 credit in independent reading.
(There are other incentives, too.) Each 9th grader has a reading
mentor (all faculty, counselors & administrators have a mentor group)
they meet with once a week to keep them on track. Also, they receive
a letter grade for it.
<P>This is our second year with the program and our fiction circulation
#'s have really jumped and this year's 10th graders are still checking
out books. On a good note, I have had a number of the sophomores
tell me they are glad they went through the AR program because they are
reading more and enjoying it AND they are doing better in their classes.
YEA!!! That was our hope when we started the program. On a
downer note... your original concern about what they are reading
is still a problem; but the reality is that at least half of our freshmen
test below grade level, and half of those test at more than 2 grades below
grade level. I cannot believe that this problem is just ours.
Since kids DON'T read and probably haven't been read to when younger, they
cannot read well and are easily frustrated by the books we would like them
to read. That is why they think these books are "boring" or "too
long".
<P>I think our efforts have produced some results and I'm happy about that.
But the larger issue cannot be solved by us (teachers/librarians) alone.
As with so many of the ills of public education and kids, it goes back
to parenting, and specifically the reading example (or lack of) set by
parents. I wish I had the answer, or maybe parents reading and reading
to their children is the answer, so I wish I knew how to implement the
answer. In the meantime, all we can do is keep promoting books and
reading for fun and hope that with reading practice they will eventually
mature from YA books to the "classics" we all know and love. At least
they are reading, even if the books they pick are "light-weight".
<P>One last thing in my ramblings... While I share many of the concerns
about the relative "light-weight" & "fast-action" nature of much YA
literature, there still are many excellent titles. They may not be
our favorite classics, but they are still good stories. Let's keep
up the fight for books, reading and great literature!!!
<P>Jana Achbach, LIS
<BR>Arvada High School
<BR>Arvada, CO 80004
<BR>jachbach@jeffco.k12.co.us
<BR>
<P> </HTML>
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