Re: total frustration

[Joni J Rathbun <jrathbun@OREDNET.ORG>]

On Fri, 7 Jan 2000, Brigid wrote:

> with the lack of high school school students who simply do not like to read
> for pleasure.  Period.
> I have noticed that in this year of my first experience of librarianship (as
> I am a clerk only), that of course elementary students and books go
> together.  But when you get to the 8th through 12th grades, these students'
> only interest in reading for pleasure when they are in the library is
> through magazines only.
> And when I put books back on the shelf, I see so many books that are just
> waiting to be read and the adventures and places they can take you.
> In closing, with all of the experience on this list, how in the world do you
> encourage reading in high schoolers?  Thanks in advance for any replies.

I think high schoolers are busy. When I was in high school I rarely
took the time to read for pleasure though I had been a grand readers
in elementary school. In high school, however, there were too many
other things to do -- from writing research papers and studying
for algebra tests to listening to the Stone, talking to my friends
on the phone or going out. I worked part time too. I didn't watch
much tv to speak of either but I did read magazines. And had there
been an internet I rpobably would have done that too -- short
and sweet, chat with friends, grab an MP3, etc. So I don't find
the fact that high schoolers are not necessarily big readers
much of a surprise.

There are, however, ways to interest them. My last couple years at the
high school I started replacing dated paperbacks from the 70s (perfectly
good titles) with modernized version that were more visually appealing.
I had been reluctant to do so because why buy the book again when you
already have it and budgets are slim? But it made a HUGE difference.
I also paid attention to what interested the kids. The biographies
of dead rock stars that I brought in stayed on the shelves about
5 minutes. One special ed boy had us keep one behind the desk for
him. He'd come in each and every day to sit and read another chapter.
"I didn't know you had interesting books in here!" he told me once.

I also read Alex Garland's "The Beach" aloud to a group of hooligans
out in the commons over a period of several weeks. They became some
of my best customers. Book talks here and about can also be
successful.





   J. Rathbun | Library Teacher - Media Specialist
   Lincoln Elementary School - Las Vegas
   jrathbun@orednet.org [home]
   The views I express are mine and mine alone.

  "Poetry and hums aren't things which you get, they're
   things which get you. And all you can do is to go
   where they can find you."

             -- Winnie the Pooh

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