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Re: truth to the children
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From: Christine Taylor-Butler <kansascitymom_at_earthlink.net>
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:55:07 -0500 (EST)
"I think we must follow-up on students' interest and "Feed" them the books that will keep them reading. "
Kileen, I'm so glad you said that. I see kids every day turning off to reading because society has made it about "the AYP test" or what's on the AR list and not about choosing books they can fall in love with. Few people are asking students what they enjoy or read voluntarily. Or worse, for children in homes where there are few books and/or readers, no one is taking the time to try out new books until the right one sticks.
I see the effects at college testing time. Kids who are strong readers (of anything) score high. Those who are taught to "read" just enough to get the grade, crash and burn during the tests because the passages are often intentionally dry and boring.
Frankly, I don't care what a student reads, as long as they are reading something. I do still contend that some "gatekeeping" is necessary, but that publishing is an industry that spends next to know time getting to know its audience. If anything, publishing has become more about pleasing the adult buyers than the children. - and the US literacy rates show it.
I spent part of Small Business Saturday at Rainy Day Books here in KC intending to buy one book, but one of the staff members engaged my daughter in a raucous conversation, asked her what she liked to read, explaining what she herself had read, and then off the two went on a book discovery adventure, and I had to stop her at three novels (which at full price is a home equity loan) and reminded her librarians were holding ARC's for her as well. Librarians used to do that for me - have books waiting based on what I loved. Because for many students - especially urban students - libarians are the first line of defense.
Now if only school districts would stop laying them off as unessential in their misquided attempts to balance budgets. ....Christine
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:55:07 -0500 (EST)
"I think we must follow-up on students' interest and "Feed" them the books that will keep them reading. "
Kileen, I'm so glad you said that. I see kids every day turning off to reading because society has made it about "the AYP test" or what's on the AR list and not about choosing books they can fall in love with. Few people are asking students what they enjoy or read voluntarily. Or worse, for children in homes where there are few books and/or readers, no one is taking the time to try out new books until the right one sticks.
I see the effects at college testing time. Kids who are strong readers (of anything) score high. Those who are taught to "read" just enough to get the grade, crash and burn during the tests because the passages are often intentionally dry and boring.
Frankly, I don't care what a student reads, as long as they are reading something. I do still contend that some "gatekeeping" is necessary, but that publishing is an industry that spends next to know time getting to know its audience. If anything, publishing has become more about pleasing the adult buyers than the children. - and the US literacy rates show it.
I spent part of Small Business Saturday at Rainy Day Books here in KC intending to buy one book, but one of the staff members engaged my daughter in a raucous conversation, asked her what she liked to read, explaining what she herself had read, and then off the two went on a book discovery adventure, and I had to stop her at three novels (which at full price is a home equity loan) and reminded her librarians were holding ARC's for her as well. Librarians used to do that for me - have books waiting based on what I loved. Because for many students - especially urban students - libarians are the first line of defense.
Now if only school districts would stop laying them off as unessential in their misquided attempts to balance budgets. ....Christine
---Received on Mon 28 Nov 2011 06:55:07 PM CST
