I love reading. I have always loved reading. I did not love (or read) everything that my schools assigned but I read a lot of books that I selected and I enjoyed it. I know that this love was in part due to my parents who were both avid readers and also my teachers such as my fifth grade teacher who read to us so many books that I still love to this day. But not all students are like me. Students today are not growing up in the same world I did. I am not sure if I would be like me if I grew up in this generation. It is so easy to get lost in your phone on social media or games. Like most teachers, I get frustrated with students and their phones but I am aware enough to admit that I probably would have been the same. I think it is that realization that leads me to my question: how do we get kids reading?
I have read many books on the subject:
The Book Whisperer, Reading in the Wild, The Joy of Reading– all by Donalyn Miller
Readicide by Kelly Gallagher
Many books by Janet Allen such as There’s Room for me Here, Reimagining Reading, and It’s Never too Late. I highly recommend her books, even though they are a little outdated at this point.
Still, Very few of these books offer solutions. Donalyn Miller’s books rarely even touch on the subject of what to do if a student just refuses to read. She rarely mentions students on their phones or fake reading. She claims if you have passion in will flow from you to your students. I have passion! And my students are given time and access to books, but still, some (not all) just refuse to read. I have even provided graphic novels and other high interest books.
But I don’t want them reading those books all year. I always explain that like any sport (or skill), a person must practice to get better. Students must read. They cannot hope to get by just doing reading worksheets. That would be like thinking just doing arm curls will help you become a body builder. You need to lift (read) a variety to work all your muscles and improve. Graphic novels like Diary of a Wimpy Kid are fun (and my guilty pleasure), but they are like five pound weights. Students need to lift more if they want to become a body builder (strong reader). But how do we motivate them in a world that says reading a book is irrelevant unless it is teaching taxes?
For me, I just keep trying. Maybe I won’t reach them all, but I will reach some. I have many students who come and get book recommendations and share with me the books they are reading. I love that. I have had multiple students recommend books that ended up becoming some of my favorites, and for now, that is enough.
This is the reading challenge I am using this year. The students do not need to follow it completely but I designed it to help get students reading more of a variety. I know I left off many categories but hope to revise and add some next year.
Read, Write, Teach: North Dakota 