I teach a class called Reading for Pleasure...based loosely on a readers workshop approach with everyone reading self-selected books every day. It's a semester elective at my high school, Norman North High School. Because I'm a National Writing Project Teacher Consultant, we also write every day. That's it.We read. We write. Sometimes we talk to each other about our books and listen to new book recommendations. It takes a huge leap of faith to believe a room full of high school students WILL sit quietly and read, and then write. I never doubted they could, but we had lots of critics who have called the class a glorified study hall, or a blow-off, or a wasted elective.
So, I often ask my students to reflect (a result of my own National Board Certification) on their own learning. My final exam is all essay...long answers get the best grades, and self-reflection is required. I read all these answers and collect the responses.
This spring, I copied some of the more interesting comments and will be sharing them here...I always tell my students one of my missions in life is to prove to the world how brilliant they are. So, today I'm sharing the responses that address students' changes in their attitudes about reading, and their insights into skills enhancement.
Disclaimer...I didn't change minor grammatical differences...I wanted the flavor of my students' writing to shine.
So, I often ask my students to reflect (a result of my own National Board Certification) on their own learning. My final exam is all essay...long answers get the best grades, and self-reflection is required. I read all these answers and collect the responses.
This spring, I copied some of the more interesting comments and will be sharing them here...I always tell my students one of my missions in life is to prove to the world how brilliant they are. So, today I'm sharing the responses that address students' changes in their attitudes about reading, and their insights into skills enhancement.
Disclaimer...I didn't change minor grammatical differences...I wanted the flavor of my students' writing to shine.
- A few things I’ve gotten out or reading is that you can learn life lessons before you even have to go through them. If a situation comes up you will already know how to go about it.
- Before I took this class I thought I hated reading in general and thought it was stupid, as most kids do. But…I have actually read the books we have to read in English and am now willing to give books a chance.
- Before I took this class reading literally meant nothing to me. This semester has changed my reading. This class basically taught me to like reading…if I can find the right book
- Before R4P I only read when I was required to read, or when I was grounded. But now, I read every chance I get especially when I’m stressed, because I feel able to let everything go and fully engage in my book.
- Books create a new, different world for readers. Reading distracts us from reality
- Each book I’ve read has [a]ffected me in a different way, but each has left its mark
- Every time I would read I would never look at the clock, never drifting off into space, and I would never want to stop reading. It is safe to say I got lost in these books. Sometimes I would forget I was in class because I could visualize everything that was happening in the books
- Everything I’ve read has pushed me to be a better reader and better student this semester
- I am a stronger and more confident reader than I ever was. There is so much I feel like I have accomplished.
- I am much more of a reader than I used to be
- I am really proud of myself because I would‘ve never thought I would like to read or read this many books
- I believe all books stick with you to some degree. That’s the beauty of it all.
- I believe R4P will and has changed so many kids’ outlooks on reading
- I can actually do anything I set my mind to
- I can love to read if I find the right books.
- I can now sit longer and read for a long period of time. I get spelling and grammar a lot better because of reading
- I can read faster and like bigger, more intense books
- I can sit down and read for much longer. I’ve become a stronger reader
- I could read faster and after I’m done reading I could tell you word from word what the book was about.
- I do slow down and actually read…and I question more than I used to
- I even found myself searching for deeper meaning when I watched Wall-E in Statistics today. It’s actually amazing how many allusions to literature that movie made.
- I feel accomplished that I got to read books that after I read them I felt like it was a good thing I read them
- I feel I can be whatever I want to, just like Cupcake Brown
- I feel like I’m actually in the story and sometimes it’s hard to focus back on real life
- I finished two books per month. Now when I get bored, I always pull out a book and start reading.
- I found a new relaxation in reading, which I think adapts to us all as we get older
- I get a lot more out of reading now and I realized I’m not a terrible reader like I originally thought
- I get a mini-movie playing in my head and enjoyment that I can be doing something interesting.
- I get an incredible sense of self through reading. By analyzing foreign characters and situations I see more and more of myself
- I hated reading, it bored me. I was never comfortable. I didn’t think I was a good reader. But taking this class really helped me oversee how I really was and look at how I am now
- I have been paying attention to the stories not myself
- I have grown to expand my horizon in reading and let others influence what I read….it’s good to pick out your own books..but I love someone else giving you a book and sharing what they got from it.
- I have improved as a reader by being able to stick with books when at first they seem boring to me.
- I have learned to read different kinds of book and longer books
- I have slowed down when reading and am more willing to ask questions
- I have stepped out of my comfort zone by reading harder and longer books with bigger words.
- I like reading books and like writing about what I have read.
- I love being pulled into stories and getting to feel love and pain and friendship and lust and all of the other emotions in life. They let me enter another reality over and over again
- I love reading about other people’s lives and struggles and accomplishments.
- I LOVE to read now, and every book is a good book. I’ve encouraged my friends to read and even recommended books, which is something I’ve never done
- I never gave reading the time of day…
- I never thought I liked reading and never read (even for school…bad I know) but after this class I have discovered I do love reading I just needed to know what to read
- I now take the time to think about a character’s decision, and why an even happened in a book
- I read faster and it is easier for me to comprehend books and characters and also it has gotten me smarter in class.
- I read faster now. I read some books I’ve wanted to read a long time
- I read faster, more, and I feel I can comprehend better as well.
- I really like reading. I just had to find that book I REALLY like to be able to read it
- I really need to focus when I read; not just speed through a book to get to the end. I tend to really get a life-lesson out of the books I read then the books for entertainment
- I reestablished my relationship with words in this class, and that has improved my writing as well. I am proud that my time in here has helped me grow as a person
- I started out with it taking me about two weeks to finish Dear John, but by the second month I had read two books in one week!
- I stepped out of my comfort zone by reading classics. It was hard to get into them at first but now I can’t read modern novels without thinking how casual the writing sounds
- I stepped out of my comfort zone in reading by reading when I’m at home, telling people about the books I’ve read or am reading, and by making my friends read a book I think is good
- I think about the books I read as I read them and I reflect more on them
- I think everybody needs to be a reader
- I used to barely read, now I read constantly
- I’ll continue to read as long as I have the thirst to learn and be entertained by stories.
- I’m going to practice keeping a personal reading log this summer! My friend can call me a dork. I don’t care.
- I’m proud of being a bookworm!
- I’m proud of myself for embracing reading and branching out to new genres.
- I’m proud that I’ve read more books this semester than in the last 2-1/2 years put together
- I’m so happy I’ve become a better and faster reader. Reading is so peaceful. It calms me down a lot. Reading this semester has made me want me read more during college next year and this summer.
- I’ve become a faster and more aware reader. I consider characters more carefully and find ways to relate to them.
- I’ve become more tolerant of books I don’t enjoy. I’ve started reflecting more thoroughly and more often. My reading and writing skills have both improved
- I’ve certainly appreciated the extra hour a day for reading
- I’ve gotten more attached to reading and love having a new book
- I’ve learned that I need a fair amount of action or constant change in a book to stay really engaged.
- I’ve read more books this semester than compared to the rest of my high school career.
- I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone simply by reading.
- If someone has asked me six months ago what reading meant to me I would have honestly said nothing. But now I can sea to me reading is so much fun.
- If you are a person like I was and did not like to read, you NEED this class. This class was so much help for me as a person and a student.
- If…I wasn’t forced to read a certain book, but just ANY book, then I think I would have started reading a long time ago
- My favorite genre to discover this year was the character-driven books
- My habits as a reader have gone from picky and proud to free and relaxed
- My reading habits have changed from zero books a year to 15 in 18 weeks, so that ‘s a pretty good difference.
- Now each book I’ve read, I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone
- Now I have started reading at home more.
- Now I look forward to reading every day.
- Now that I’ve taken R4P I have an excuse to read. And it drives my mother nuts when I neglect my part of chores for a book. But that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.
- R4P has given me the ability to read longer and absorb more from the books at the same time. It has shown me how much I actually do get distracted when I read and helped me learn to keep myself focused. It gives readers more endurance
- R4P has helped me pay attention in class reading books more easily. This class helped me realize that it’s not about how fast you read, It’s about what you learned about your books.
- R4P has helped me with my disability in reading in so many ways. I know I can read out loud better, read faster and comprehend things better than I used to.
- R4P has showed me I am capable of being a good, fast reader
- R4P has shown me I’m a distracted reader. My mind wanders and I read without thinking, if that makes sense. Reading makes me think more, though.
- R4P has shown me that the more pages I read, the better of a reader I am
- R4P helped my vocabulary…I really do love to read and it opens my creativity. I get to explore my mind with reading
- R4P showed me reading isn’t boring, I was simply choosing the wrong books such as ones I judged by the cover, by the length, etc. So R4P has taught me to ask about a book
- R4P…[taught] me to be still, well-seated for a long period of time. Even when I’m seated I’m not still, I rock myself for some reason or I bounce my legs. R4P has also helped me by keeping focused. I’ve expanded my horizon
- Reading and writing your logs helps you out so you can talk and understand your books
- Reading gave me good advice and life lessons. It helps my reading comprehension and writing
- Reading gives me pleasure, makes me smarter and more sophisticated , develops and informs my life philosophy and broadens my horizons
- Reading is what keeps me going. It sustains me much more so than pedantic lectures or monoliths from text books
- Reading to me is a big priority. I never was much of a reader but [R4P] has now opened my eyes to reading and going outside my box. I regret not taking this class sooner.
- Reading used to be something I “had” to do. After taking this class I can say I enjoy reading a lot more than I did
- Since R4P, my concentration level when it comes to reading has greatly increased. I am able to pay more attention and actually soak in what I read or hear
- Sometimes I’ll just sit and think about my books for a while, what twists could be coming up, how this will end…
- Thanks for turning me on to a great book. The most important class I ever took in high school
- The more poetry I read the more I like it and the better I get at staying focused on it for longer periods of time
- The way I relate to books is through emotion, trying to put myself in the book so I can try to see what they are going through…
- This class forced me to take an interest in literature and it has become the kickstart to a career of reading
- This class has made me love reading again. I have my summer booklist and I cannot wait to start them
- This class has showed me that I love reading and hopefully I will always have a book with me from now on
- This class has shown me I can be a very good reader if you give me a good book to read
- This class has shown me that I am a real reader because I have bought books and looked for books to read next
- This class has shown me writing style means a lot to me. I get knowledge and entertainment out of reading. It takes me away.
- When I need to get away from reality, I can go into the world of my book. Get away from pain and be a character in the book; sometimes it is easier to go through their problems than my own.
- With reading I get sent to new places, meet new people and learn valuable life lessons
- You can accomplish anything if you try hard enough
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