At the beginning of each semester of my class, Reading for Pleasure, I give kids a scavenger hunt, designed my my friend and colleague, Shelbie Witte, and let the kids collect book recommendations. I have several purposes for this work -- ours is a very quiet class, and I look for ways for students to be more active and be able to talk to each other about books. The first day of school kids typically sit all day and listen to teachers read their syllabi...I try to mix things up.
So, we wander the room collecting book titles and then I compile all the pages into a master list. This is what I'm sharing today...but I tell the students it's a rough draft...they have to help me with editing -- spelling, punctuation. I use this list in presentations and I tell the kids my credibility with my audience will suffer if I've got typos in our list. So, I ask them to read and proofread...then add at least one more title to our list. At the beginning of the semester, many students have NOT read for pleasure and feel a little intimidated...but by this time in the semester, nearly every student has finished a book (at least) and have a solid, real recommendation. The final list will be close to double this one.
But I share this, unedited, to make my point: young people DO read. Providing an elective class that values reading attracts those readers, and helps create those readers as out-of-practice and reluctant readers discover a book that moves them.
If you could add one more book, a book you know young people enjoy, what would it be? If YOU can help with proofreading, I'd be ever so grateful!
So, we wander the room collecting book titles and then I compile all the pages into a master list. This is what I'm sharing today...but I tell the students it's a rough draft...they have to help me with editing -- spelling, punctuation. I use this list in presentations and I tell the kids my credibility with my audience will suffer if I've got typos in our list. So, I ask them to read and proofread...then add at least one more title to our list. At the beginning of the semester, many students have NOT read for pleasure and feel a little intimidated...but by this time in the semester, nearly every student has finished a book (at least) and have a solid, real recommendation. The final list will be close to double this one.
But I share this, unedited, to make my point: young people DO read. Providing an elective class that values reading attracts those readers, and helps create those readers as out-of-practice and reluctant readers discover a book that moves them.
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If you could add one more book, a book you know young people enjoy, what would it be? If YOU can help with proofreading, I'd be ever so grateful!
Yes, teenagers DO indeed read, especially when they have a teacher who shares and talks about and reads good books with them! Good for you. I must add "What Happened to Cass McBride," by Gail Giles. When I share an excerpt of this book with my students, they are literally lined up at the door when the bell rings so they can run to the library to check it out! Also "Paper Towns," by John Green (and all his other books). The YA genre has exploded -- there are so many great books! Michael Grant's series ("Gone," "Hunger," etc.) is also crazy popular right now.
ReplyDeleteI just gave a kid "Right Behind You" by Giles, and now he's reading "Shattering Glass!" I read the first paragraph of "Glass" and step aside -- kids are fighting for the book. Haven't read "Gone" yet...We're all in love with "Fault in our Stars" by Green. Will be sharing our expanded list of books soon. What are your other go-to titles and authors?
ReplyDeleteWhy am I just finding your BLOG? Miss you! Shelbie
ReplyDelete