I’ve always been a voracious reader. I couldn’t tell you exactly when it started, but growing up in a house surrounded by books and seeing my parents and older brother reading all the time made a difference. It’s just what we did. Seeing the models of good reading around me, and that it was a valid choice for a relaxing, free-time activity, gave me permission to become a reader. I was surrounded by Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High, Archie, Mildred D. Taylor, and Danielle Steel. Some I sought out, some were passed on from my mom. But I had a dirty secret – I only read what I wanted to; I didn’t read what I “had” to. Teacher assigned book with questions and discussion taking away the enjoyment and escapism that was reading to me? Nope. Not gonna do it. The exception – Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. I actually read that one in middle school…and then I went to the library to search out every other Mildred D. Taylor book I could find. I didn’t read the other books the teacher wanted me to-I sought out and read the books I wanted to. High school came…and reading went. I managed to get through Honors and AP English classes having read only one complete book assigned to me in the entire four years – The Invisible Man. Why that book out of all the ones I could have read? Who knows why that was the one that connected with me at that point in my life. Seems like I could have picked a shorter or easier one.
I don’t know why certain books connected with me when others didn’t, but I do know the way in which books were being picked and taught made me rebel against them. Don’t think I wasn’t reading – I absolutely was, but I was not being granted permission by teachers to read in the way I wanted to. I was devouring books outside of school. They were my escape from adolescent self-esteem issues and drama. I was choosing what I needed at the time, and that made all the difference in my reading habits. My AP English test essay question: how the dance scene in Romeo & Juliet changes the course of the story. My college entrance essay: the impact Message From Nam had on changing the course of my life. Books impacted my world-just not always in the way teachers might have prescribed them to.
As a teacher myself now, I can only cringe when I imagine how frustrating I must have been as a student. Intelligent and capable, but doesn’t do homework. If she would just read and turn in this assignment, she can pass. Attitude problem - oh, yes, my famous phrase was “I don’t want to do stupid busy work.” Then I became a teacher myself – a middle school language arts and reading teacher. I start my first job as an eighth grade teacher. They teach The Outsiders so I go to read it and I can barely get through the book myself. How could I possibly teach it to my students and get them excited about it?! The teachers choose books based on what they have in the cabinets and teach one book to the whole class. I hated it when I was a student, so why was I doing it to my own students now? Because I didn’t know any other way. I wasn’t granted permission to do it any other way and I didn’t know how.
Then came the master’s program and the books that gave me permission to do what I knew was right. Professional books and journal articles saved me as a teacher-they gave me the research base and methods and structure to support the changes I wanted to make so I didn’t have to feel like a hypocrite of a teacher anymore. Atwell, Allington, Gallagher spoke to me and who I wanted to be as a teacher. Give kids choice! Don’t give comprehension quizzes! Let them read books at their level! Don’t teach one book to every student! Have them respond in authentic ways! Be the model for them of what you want them to do! Get them engaged and motivated to read! And guess what…it worked. Once I was granted permission to do what was best for students, what I would have wanted as a student, I was able to love the teaching of reading. Students started reading and then I started reading more and more so I could keep up with the necessary recommendations. Then I started blogging to share those recommendations on a larger scale. I read more widely and voraciously now than I ever did before because it’s necessary to do my job as an educator.
Books gave me the permission to do it my way. Books gave me the permission and strength of character to fight for what I know is right for my students. Books save my students from boredom and disengagement. Books allow me to communicate and connect with my students and get them reading. Books grant me the ability to do my job to the best of my ability. Books help me to understand myself when I can’t figure it out any other way. Books help me make a difference in the classroom and in my own life. Teaching reading and helping grow an appreciation of it in my middle school students has brought me back to the joy that I had as a reader myself, and it’s what makes me a life-long, card-carrying (do we have those cards yet?) member of the Nerdy Book Club. I’m granting myself permission to start a chapter at my school next month to recruit more members who can carry on the tradition for us. Get books, read books, talk books, share books, but don’t “teach” books. Do what you know is right. Permission granted.
Jillian
Heise Reads & Recommends
http://heisereads.blogspot.com
Twitter: @heisereads
Middle School Language Arts & Reading Teacher
This is probably the best post I have read all year. Why? I believe the way you do. I teach 6th grade language arts. Our county has created a “Core Curriculum”. A child can leave my school and go somewhere else and and they can pick up where we left off. The curriculum tells us which books, stories and even has a activities and a timeline. I work in an IB school and this curriculum doesn’t really fit. I complained to our coordinator and she said, “Don’t follow it. Do what you KNOW is right.” My principal on the other hand is afraid of downtown and wants us to follow the curriculum. He has never been a teacher. I try to change it up and implement as much as I can on my own. I follow our state standards but have branched out to do what is right for the kids. By the way, Outsiders is one of the books they chose for our 8th graders as part of their curriculum. Thanks for the encouragement.
I am still crying a bit from reading your post, Jillian. Your story resonates with me because it mirrors my own. Your students are blessed to have you as a teacher and I appreciate your integrity in standing up for what you believe and doing what is right for your students. Thank you for reminding us.
Come teach at our school! My once voracious reader is dying in high school because they are trying to kill the love of reading there. But our middle school, most of them get it! They still have to “teach” certain books, but they’ve read enough to pick books that kids can connect to, some of them at least. We need more teachers like you!! And more professors who taught at your master’s program.
The only thing my grandson has to do for reading at his school is to read what he is given & take a quiz. I am heartbroken about his experience & hope only that all of our influence at home will keep him going and, like you, read what he wants, when he wants. It took adulthood for me to discover the thrill of reading Dickens because of my high school experience of Great Expectations. Thank you for your eloquent words about reading. Keep on with the choices; they matter!
I could have written this post! I, too, read everything I could get my hands on. I usually read what was assigned, but hated most of them. I remember in freshman English we read, Les Miserables, The Red Pony and The Pearl. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. On my own I was reading Tom Sawyer, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn, East of Eden, and my mother’s trashy historical romance novels. And those books led me to read history books and biographies because I wanted to know what really happened. As a high school teacher, my goal is to get the right books into the right hands. I checked out your blog and love it. I would like to link it to my web site. I hope that will not be a problem!
Your way of sharing books is right on the money. I felt the same way 30 years ago in high school. My daughter is a senior in HS this year and feels this way too. Most of the time she reads what is assigned but her free choice reading is what keeps her motivated to read. Thanks for putting into words the way many of us feel. Wish all students could fall in love with reading.
Thanks for reminding us about the power of choice. I’m going to share your post with my Professional Learning Team.
You are a rebel! I read everything I was given in school. I do remember one time not doing my reading for Grapes of Wrath and feeling horrible that day as we were discussing in class. Your story is my husband’s story though. He never read the books he was assigned. It makes me sad because he’s still not a reader today. I’m glad you did find books that you enjoyed and read those! It’s so interesting how our experiences shape us. It’s cool that you are a teacher now and can do it your way!
Wow! Your post sounds a lot like me. I remember feeling so guilty in 9th grade English class when I got my Martian Chronicles test back and it had a “D” on it. I was a voracious reader, but this book did not connect with me. In fact, I hated it! (Sorry Martian Chronicles lovers) I pretty much disliked most of the required readings. I also read lots of fluff, but I too believe they were gateway books that evenutally led me to To Kill a Mockingbird, Anna Karenina, and Pride and Predijuce, just to name a few. Of course, I still enjoy lots of light reading, but my world has been enriched with many classics as well…just on my own terms. As a teacher, I also struggle with this, but I am hopeful that the new Common Core Curriculum will give teachers like us more freedom to chose literature that we feel will speak to our students. I am going to remain hopeful!
Love your post, Jillian. You and I are very similar. I read most of the books assigned, but it was a surface skim so I could get back into my “read reading”. When I first started I was required to teach out of the basal. They finally “let” me teach novels, but whole class. I didn’t love reading until I finally found the way to reading workshop. Bliss.
Thank you, Jillian, for blazing a different trail. Reading is such an intimate experience, it is no wonder that force feeding it upon anyone is repulsive. Nor would we like anyone forcing upon us certain music or art. GAH!
Keep on with your wonderful model of reading and teaching and know that there are scores of us out here supporting you.
Choice is what it’s all about and unfortunately there are too many school systems (mine included) that don’t allow it-they just want the kids to pass the test! I started out this school year vowing to be different, but had a lapse of judgment around Oct-Nov and went back to the basal. I think I tried to jump in too fast, and the majority of my 6th graders were not ready for choice, or anything for that matter except direct instruction-drill and kill.
I have reconnected with myself as a reader during this winter break and have made a vow to help each of my students do the same upon return. At their level. Thanks for the inspiring post!
Shannon
http://extremereadingandwriting.wordpress.com/
I was the kid who tried to read everything I was assigned, but in the end, gave up or just read the Cliffs Notes. I went from being a voracious reader to having the love or reading sucked out of me. And I was in AP English! To this day, I find myself attempting and abandoning classics just based on my difficult experience in high school.
I wish every teacher could read more stories like yours and mine because there are SO MANY of us out there – as evidenced by all your responses. The only way to get kids to love and evolve in their reading is to give them choice. End of story. Common core? NCLB? Race to the Top? Teachers, school boards, and politicians can mandate curriculum all they want, but the only true way to get kids to be lifelong readers and learners is to INVOLVE them in the conversation, not exclude them.
I love the fact that there are so many “rebels” here. I was one of those goodie two shoes kids, and I read everything I was told to read. Thankfully, I also had the time to read all the things I wanted to read as well.
One of the things I try to do now is read widely myself so I can always have a “just right” book to recommend to my students. I also try to remind myself that there are no BAD books. When the parents of my students ask me about things like Captain Underpants or comic books I can confidently discuss the good things those books can teach their kids (especially since I love them myself – don’t get me started on comic books and graphic novels!). If we get them reading for the love of the book, the rest will follow.
I wish more teachers would read more stories like this. I too was a voracious reader in school, I just wasn’t reading my assigned reading. In HS I worked as a page at my local library and I was always bringing home new books. I hated being forced to read something then have to take a quiz or a test on said book. (I think this is way I still have an aversion of “the classics”) As a youth librarian at a public library I have watched many a voracious reader have the love of reading sucked out of them. I always tell my parents that as long as they are reading and enjoying what they are reading, let them read.
My school has recently purchased a reading series, but I continue to give my second graders a choice in their reading! (Thankfully, no one has said I have to use the basal.) There is nothing better than having a mom tell me, “I don’t know what you do Mrs. R, but my little Tommy loves to read this year. He keeps asking to go to the library.” This is usually the response from a parent who has a child that struggled in first grade. I recently asked a past student of mine to tell me what he was reading in third grade. He said, “We don’t do reading in 3rd grade.” I questioned him further, because I knew his class was using the new reading basal, but I also knew this student was a voracious reader of books. This is what he said, “Oh, that book? I’m not doing so good with that book. I take too long to get all the questions answered.” Is this what we want our youngest students to think reading is?! Goodness No! Don’t worry, my third grade friend stops by my classroom everyday and we chat about books. He recently told me he bought Origami Yoda at the school book fair. Thank you all my nerdy book club friends for supporting real books and real reading! It gives me hope and tells me I am not alone!
For whatever reason, when I first read this post, my reaction was just “yes. Nice. Yes.” Maybe it’s because I was about to be running late for my dentist appointment this morning, but I would say my response was subdued. I’m glad I was running a little late so I didn’t post a comment saying, simply, “yes.”
Because now, 13 hours later, my reaction is “YES! YES YES YES!” This is what I want to do in my own classroom, but I’m not sure how. Maybe it’s because I hadn’t been granted permission. I have to consider it granted now. I think I’m going to read this post every day at the beginning of the summer while I really plan out how my class will operate next year.
Thank you for writing this and sharing this, and thank you for being the teacher who does this!
I LOVE this post! At the elementary level we are teaching from a basal and giving two reading tests every Friday. The stories are short and mostly boring. We teach skills. Skills. Thats all. Not reading but skills. My co-teacher and I have been a little rebellious and have not told anyone, except you guys, but we do book clubs. Last year we had to hide our book clubs from the walk-throughs because we would get into trouble because we were adding to the program. I feel extremely guilty that I am killing the love of reading at such an early age…because of scores.
Thank you for this post and for others comments. I feel that I am not the only one! The Nerdy Book Club has given me ideas and suggestions for books to give to my kids. I am so excited about this.!. and I am enjoying the heck out of talking with my newfound “nerdy” friends on Twitter! You all are awesome!
A great article. I “teach” extensive reading and the students choose their own stories and books…they love the activity as well as as the post reading activities such as acting out, writing poems etc. However, many teachers seem to believe that teaching always include teaching activities such as asking comprehension questions, giving tests etc. Sometimes I get frustrated when other teachers ask questions about how to test, how to score, and how to trust the students (!). How can students love reading if they have to demonstrate their understanding of the material …and not to be trusted? Reading this article gives me the courage to be a good extensive reading teacher and to keep believing that to make students love reading is to let them read read read what they enjoy reading without giving them the burden to demonstrate anything. Thank you.