CCBC-Net Archives

Reading Motivation

From: Clark Underbakke <CUnderbakke>
Date: Wed, 13 Oct 2004 15:04:50 -0500

Lots of discussion regarding this topic...my .02 worth follows...

.01 For more on the topic consult the Journal of Children's Literature, Volume 29, Number 2, Fall 2003. The issue is titled: "Reading Incentive Programs and the Appreciation of Children's Literature." A tremendous issue!

.01 I can't help but sit here, giggle and reminisce about hearing Alfie Kohn state about Book-It: "Basically, at the end of Book-It, you end up with a bunch of fat kids who don't like to read." I don't mean to offend anyone, but it was TOO good NOT to share.

Regards, Clark Underbakke, Ph.D. 2nd Grade Teacher Hoover, AL

The greatest reading motivator for my nine year old son seems to be unscheduled time. He always did fine at school according to his teachers and he loved being read aloud to, and he always said he loved books, but I never really saw him read of his own volition, or *get lost in a book,* that wonderful spell where you don?t know where you are or hear your mother calling you. After school, he was busy with homework (non-reading related, or textbooks with worksheets attached) and classes and teams to fill in the lack of programming at his school. At night, he would just konk out. It wasn?t until we started homeschooling that suddenly it seemed he had the time and attention span to read and read and read, and started to ask for particular books that reflected more of his own tastes. I?m not saying that homeschooling is necessarily better, only that I think part of what makes reading fun is having the time to do it, in a cozy place uninterrupted by bells or annoying questions or thoughts of tests.

I loved comic books as a child, and picture books that were still way below my *grade level* because I thought they were so beautiful and funny. Now I?m a grown-up who still reads picture books. I would have stunk at AR.

Esme Raji Codell Site Director

Visit PlanetEsme.com: A www.onderful World of Children?s Literature! http://www.planetesme.com P.O. Box 6225 Evanston, IL 60204 How to Get Your Child to Love Reading, now in stores! Wow! For reviews of the best and brightest new books, http://www.planetesme.com/dontmiss.html
Received on Wed 13 Oct 2004 03:04:50 PM CDT