I'm going to turn this discussion over on its head.
What I want for students is for them not to hate and be cynical about
everything. For them to understand that the degree to which they enjoy,
engage in, are interested in something comes from their own heads,
hearts, and experiences and not from any antics a teacher can perform
to entertain them.
I have a bit of a problem with the word "fun" although I do use it. I
would like students to be interested in what they read. To find
themselves and bring themselves to what they read. And to understand
that some reading will be dry and tedious but might be necessary for a
bigger piece of the pie later on.
I have been substitute teaching this year. When I have the great
pleasure of being in a class that has some SSR time, I always ask at
the end, "Raise your hand if you're reading a book you really like"
("kind of like"..... "really dislike"...) and I've been saddened by the
number of students who are reading something they don't like. I always
ask, "Why?"
What I don't want is for students to think that reading is a long
string of putting together a series of skills, and that's where I have
a problem with the deconstruction of strategies, even *THE* strategies,
and turning them into skills to check off on an assessment sheet, a
database, or a report card. What I don't want is for students to think
that the only reason to read is to pass a test, finish an assignment,
please the teacher, get a higher grade.
I don't need every child to think reading is fun. Everybody will not
become a reader of Jodi Picoult, of Annie Dillard, of D.H. Lawrence.
Some people will become readers of John Grisham, of Dean Koontz, of
Stephen King, of People magazine. Some people will become readers of
the daily newspaper, the tide tables, the sports columns. Some people
will decide that the best thing to do when you have free time is not to
read a book, but to play hockey or soccer, build furniture, play in the
symphony, crochet afghans for new babies, volunteer at a non-profit,
walk-precincts during election season, organize unions, work second
jobs. Third jobs. Go fishing.
I like to encourage students to read something that interests them.
Those students who have nothing that interests them have bigger
problems than not wanting to read. That's my opinion.
Renee
On Jun 5, 2007, at 8:29 AM, Bill Roberts wrote:
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bonita" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>> I think balance comes into play here. My feelings about reading for
>> fun
>> versus deeper value in reading change depending upon the group I am
>> teaching and the method I am using to teach. ...... Eventually, I
>> want my
>> students to read for many reasons, as Gallagher encourages, but when
>> they
>> have not yet caught any sort of reading bug, I find the need to focus
>> on
>> the fun,...
>
> Maybe the problem we are having is our definition of "FUN".....A book
> that
> is a cliffhanger or page-turner can be fun, but so can a technical
> manual.
> Whatever we consider fun is going to vary based on our backgrounds.
> Whether
> it stimulates my critical thought or my funny bone, it still can be
> thought
> of as "Fun."
>
> --- snip---
>
> The pleasure principle and the reality principle are two
> psychoanalytical
> terms coined by Sigmund Freud. .... snip ....
>
> That's what we want for our kids.
When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread
with one, and a lily with the other.
~ Chinese Proverb
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