"Literature can be the site of self-discovery and intellectual growth for adolescents if we, as their literature teachers, help create the spaces, both in the classroom and out, for them to flourish as readers and thinkers."
Appleman gives 6 pieces of advice to readers in this chapter. Which advice weighs heaviest on you and your personal beliefs about teaching reading to adolescents?
My favorite is, "No one is too cool or too old to be touched by the magic of having someone read aloud to him or her." The best way to hook a reader into a new book is with the first chapter. That's when they hook themselves, so it helps to do a few read alouds. Check out the first chapter of Shattering Glass, Water for Elephants, or Inexcusable. Fill your classroom with the wondrous words of these writers and watch your students fight over who gets to take the book with them. No one is beyond being read to. Not even high schoolers.
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I also agree with Ms. Hartness that "No one is too cool or too old to be touched by the magic of having someone read aloud to him or her" is one that is most important. I know that I have always enjoyed being read to. It is a nostalgic feeling and makes me feel like a kid again.
There is another piece of advise that I liked form this article. It was the paragragh that started with "Enthusiasm may indeed be contagious, but students wont't necessarily like books because we do." There are many classical books that we grew up with and loved, but students today can not relate to the books. I think the overall goal is to have students reading. Although we might think that they need the classics, isn't it just as good to have them engrossed in a young adult novel.
Ok, no fair!! You both stole my comments...LOL! I didn't want to use the "having someone read" advice because I figured we'd all pick that one....BUT I do enjoy it, especially if the reader is a good "actor" [sorry just some things from that other career are hard to do away with]. If the reader has a "Ben Stein" quality then I can't stand listening. I love books on tape! I would rather listen to a book being read to me than the radio. If it is a good book, then it will go with me to the tanning bed, clean the stalls in the barn, etc.
I read the article twice and the other point that jumped off the page at me was the "enthusiasm" quote! My mom tried and tried to get me to read Jane Austen and the Bronte Sisters [Wuthering Heights is her fav] but I HATE those. However, my junior English teacher introduced me to Hawthrone and I was hooked. I in turn introduced her to "The Summer of My German Soldier" and she added it to the curriculum. I think the enthusiasm can go both ways [and even works with getting our non-reading friends/family to try new genres or authors].
Okay, so we all are big kids at heart that loved to be read to! I ask Jim to read to me all the time. His response is always "No thanks," but keep on asking!
Like Rachel, I like books on CD. Jim and I always listen to one when we are traveling and now we have my parents hooked too! I listened to the Life of Pi on CD, (although it took several round trip to distance places)and felt much like the author, "what was real?...who ate whom?" It captured my imagination, especially the floating island that was a killer. As a science person that really got me!
I also agree with the advice that the author gives about students wanting what they do to matter, in school and out. I want what I do to matter, so why would it be any different for them. I get asked "why do I need to know this?" all of the time. My response is usually that "science is life...we need to know how things work...those little boxes up there with those symbols for the elements represents YOU, these are the things that you are made of, what we are all made of..."
I know that many of my students like to read. I have my stack of pink slips from the library to return/check out books during Freshman Focus to prove it. I think that the start up of a 9th grade boys book club is fantastic! I hope that in time that it can open it's doors to rest of their classmates and maybe even their teachers. I would love to sit down and listen to our students talk about the books that they are reading, maybe I would find one that I would be interested in. I am about to embark on the Stephanie Meyers' Twilight journey and am looking forward to it!
My earliest recollection of being read to is my grandmother - a veteran English teacher, now deceased - sitting in a rocking chair in her bedroom. She died in that bedroom and I wish I had read to her the last night I saw her alive. I have that rocking chair in my living room, and used it and another rocker for the read-to's I did with my children.
I wish all the read alouds we do in the classroom could be an memorable. Of course we cannot take these "big kids" onto our laps,; heck we can't even have sofas and comfy chairs in the classroom because of the "boogey man" (ie fire marshal). Read alouds would be soooo much better if accompanied by comfortable surroundings. I turn off one set of lights in my room the my Beowulf read-alouds - Beowulf ripped off Grendel's arm in a darkened mead hall, after all.
Another interesting read aloud - last year I ended each creative writing class with a Wayside School read aloud, taking a cue from my wife who'd used it as a vol reader in elementary school (pre-PACT when people could actually come into the school and do "fun stuff"). After an initial "what's he doing" response, students loved it - it's a great "actor" read, tough to "Ben Stein" even if you wanted to. Probably will use it again in creative writing, second semester.
My favorite piece of advice is "The classroom isn't always the best place to discuss literature." I think this is especially true of adults. How many of us actually attend classes just to talk about books or even movies? We usually do it in informal settings. My best friend and I use our time on the treadmills at the gym to discuss the latest books we're reading. When we were in high school, she didn't touch books; now, all I have to do is mention one and she's dying to read it. There's a big difference in the comfort zone of talking in an institution (and being graded on it) and talking outside of one.
My favorite advise statement was: "Students want what they do in school to matter. Students want what they do outside of school to matter. I think this is very true just based on my own perspective of reading and learning new concepts. Despite the topic,I must have some form of "logic" for me . My students are no different. They want that connection of school to life.they do not like doing anything just for the good ole sake of learning! They may not always ask for it politely---but they want it ! As educators, we must provide the tools for students to read critically and strategically . This comes with trying and trying and trying. Creativity is an essential tool that the teacher must foster throughout any learning experience. Break that glass ceiling that you can only dicuss topics in a one type of setting. I also liked the advise statement regarding -"Don't underestimate adolescents". They will often surprise you on how well they interpret varous text. If you just listen long enough ----YOU WILL LEARN SOMETHING!
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