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A Struggling Reader Responds by Laura M. Jimenez
I was born into and continue to live within the space that Gloria Anzaldúa termed La Frontera, or The Borderlands. Today I write to the Nerdy Book Club Universe from La frontera de los libros/the borderlands of books. I have come to truly admire the Nerdy Book Club bloggers but I am often left with the feeling that the one voice rarely heard from is that of “struggling readers.”
For me reading was a giant fire-breathing sloth with red eyes and poison spittle dripping off its chin that I avoided like, well, a giant fire-breathing sloth. I learned to read but I didn’t attain any kind of fluency until well into 7th grade. I remain a struggling reader, although now I am also a successful reader. I earned a PhD and now teach children’s literature and other courses at Boston University. The irony of my career choice is not lost on me.
Recently I was reading Paul W. Hankin’s These 4 Corners post and Teri Lesesne’s responses. I was struck by a question he posed, “What do I need to do to replicate the way I come to books?”
Please allow me to let you in on a little secret. There is nothing you can do to replicate the way you come to books that will help me in the least. Nothing. The way you come to books isn’t appropriate for me, unless you are a struggling, atypical, non-reader (please note fire-breathing sloth above). When I see a new book and think, “Ugh, there is a lot of arduous work. Well, better get started.” I love books and stories but that is still the first thing that pops into my head. Instead of thinking about replicating, maybe you need to ask a different question, “What do I need to do to repair the way they come to books?”
As a struggling reader I suspect I do things a bit differently than most – both as a reader and as a teacher. My personal reading profile is to either read the same book over and over and over again and to binge read on a single topic. Binge reading is quite typical for some struggling readers (email me for research articles). We have a tendency to burrow in and read deeply on one very focused topic. My point is that if you were to ask me to replicate the way I come to books, it would drive a lot of people completely nuts.
On the other hand, when I read children’s and YA literature for instructional purposes, I do things differently. I want to provide a set of tools for the pre-service and in-service teachers I instruct. Instead of thinking about myself as the reader, I try to take a open stance and model diversity and variation in text selection.
This is a point that Nerdy bloggers hit over and over and I cannot support it strongly enough. Being dedicated to a diversity of texts means I read outside my comfort zone and aesthetic sensibility most of the time. For example, I am not a fan of historical fiction, poetry, fantasy, and most realistic fiction in which teen girls are the protagonists. But, I read a lot of historical fiction, fantasy and realistic fiction in which teen girls are the protagonists (I’m working on the poetry thing) because I need to find a wide range of books to offer my students. I want them to know how to get over their own reading preferences and instead of duplicating their favorite book lists, I want them to learn how to give their students the power to come up with completely new lists!
I have learned to recognize markers of well-written historical fiction and I have come to enjoy some fantasy (Thank you, Kristin Cashore). More importantly, I have learned the secret to realistic fiction with teen girls is to be mindful of my own annoyance. The more cloying and dramatic I find the characters, the more likely it is brilliantly written (I’m talking to you, Linda Urban). Did I mention I’m working on the poetry thing? I am, really.
Because I do not read quickly, time is a precious resource. The blog-o-sphere and social media allow me to be in contact with a never-ending and amazingly generous group of true book nerds. I am connected to a community of readers and writers that keeps me invigorated to use the time and energy it takes to slog through all the books available to me.
So, instead of trying to replicate your own experience, I would encourage you to keep in mind that some readers hate reading. We may come to love stories or thirst for knowledge and we might even come to terms with reading but only if you help guide us to places where the struggle is worth it.
Laura M. Jimenez is currently a lecturer in Boston University School of Education, so she is a doctor – just not one that can help if your arm hurts when you “move it like this.” Her area of focus is on graphic novels and reading comprehension. You can find her online at booktoss.wordpress.com and on Twitter as @booktoss.
I honor Laura’s post here this morning. I’ve never been a struggling reader (though some texts do make me work a little harder). But, these are the types of readers I work with in Room 407 on a regular basis whether they are in the English 11 course or AP English Language and Composition. For the same reasons that I celebrate Mr. William Fry who always made me feel like a member of his algebra class and its celebrations even when my performance on tests were lackluster, I celebrate my struggling readers when they come to the idea that there are books that we can read.
When we posed these questions at the blog, they were rapid fire questions that were coming and attempting to answer themselves. The language seems to point to reading, but the real essence of the question for me is the how to come to BOOKS in the first place. Just the notion of them. How do I know that a new book is coming that I want to see? That I want to read?
I think this happens by being plugged into the communities that Laura cites within her post here. It happens by having books on display. All of the time. Books across subjects. Books across approaches. Books across genres. Book Trailers become a part of our landscape. Book Talks become a part of our language. Book Give Aways become a part of our celebrations. Our 40 Book Invitation sheets in our binders become a map not only of the books we have read, but the books we could and did read. Reading Aloud in the room brings books to life for readers who struggle to make sense of the syntax let alone come to a sense of story.
The surprises expressed by students that there are non-fiction books written about American cereal or the mullet. A printed version of Kurt Cobain’s journals. Poetry by Tupac Shakur or Billy Corgin. A Nikki Giovanni collection called HIP HOP SPEAKS TO CHILDREN? Graphic novels? What are graphic novels?
I didn’t want my response to be longer than the daily post. I wanted to clarify what I mean by replicating how I came to books. If I meant it in any other way, I might have answered the question by suggesting we don’t talk to our students. We keep them in a sense of isolation and subsequent loneliness until the drive for some better experience leads them to turn the first page of a fairy tale they can slip into (a post for another time). No. . .we replicate how we come to books by providing invitation, support, and celebration for the coming to books. I came to books early. Then I left them for a time. I came back to them while in high school wherein an English teacher told me I could read whatever I wanted so long as I talked to him about the books. I came back to reading again while in the Navy because a Chief I admired (Chief Stackpoole) talked about the subversive books by Hunter S. Thompson and Vonnegut that he enjoyed. I left books regularly because I thought they were not suitable companions for the time (and I replaced them with something worse–a post for another time). But I always came back to books. . .because of a respect. . .and and invitation.
I think that bears repeating or rephrasing. When I saw something in the reader, I wanted to be near that energy. . .that excitement. And when they invited me to books, I came. I came to books. I can replicate this. I want to replicate this. I will replicate this.
Good reading, friends. Thank you for the mention, Laura!
Thank you for sharing this! Such an important voice. Great perspective for all readers to consider. Keep working on the poetry thing 🙂
Thank you for voicing what so many feel. More of this point of view is needed. This line resonated with me: “What do I need to do to repair the way they come to books?” This is my life as a teacher. Most of my students do not like to read. It is work. Arduous is one of their favorite vocabulary words. Why do you read, they respond to get a good job. I am working toward building the love and lessening the work for some of their book experiences. Scholars that have lived the struggling experience add so much to what we need to do to get students closer to a love versus hate experience with reading.
A very important post Laura. I too was/am a struggling reader. Teachers need to remember that reading can be VERY hard work for some, despite everything that we try to do to make them love it.
Great post. Thanks for sharing your perspective. I especially appreciate your comments about “binge reading”. I teach struggling readers everyday and love when they find a book, series or author that they want to read over and over. Unfortunately, I have seen educators too often turn young students off by insisting that they not binge read. While it is important to encourage our students to expand their reading horizons and expose them to a variety of reading materials, we also need to respect their individual reading profiles. Finding that one book to love is entry to a lifelong love of reading.