Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
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Research tells us that students lose an early love of reading once they advance through grades in school and have less and less choice in what they read. I have seen this first hand in my high school classroom, and I have decided to change the way I teach to better foster the love of reading....or at least light the spark that may one day motivate my students to become readers.
"I hate reading," most of my students write on an introductory survey to my English class, a statement that never fails to make me despair that they will never know the joy of transporting themselves to another world and engage in adventures of the mind. Therefore, it is time I do something to lead them towards a world that they simply do not know exists since they won't read. I spent the summer reading about the importance of student choice in what they read and how to build reading stamina in my sophomores. My conclusion is that I MUST do a better job of giving my teenagers not only choice in what they read, but also a plethora of adventures in different genres to choose from when reading.
I have chosen graphic novels, memoirs, and popular young adult titles in to tempt them into the amazing world of reading that awaits them. Each quarter, students will choose one novel from the diverse choices on my list and engage in conversation with their literature circle about their title and try to use their persuasive skills to convince them to read their novel during the next choice window. Through choice and conversation, perhaps we can populate the future with informed readers who will lead us to a good tomorrow!
About my class
Research tells us that students lose an early love of reading once they advance through grades in school and have less and less choice in what they read. I have seen this first hand in my high school classroom, and I have decided to change the way I teach to better foster the love of reading....or at least light the spark that may one day motivate my students to become readers.
"I hate reading," most of my students write on an introductory survey to my English class, a statement that never fails to make me despair that they will never know the joy of transporting themselves to another world and engage in adventures of the mind. Therefore, it is time I do something to lead them towards a world that they simply do not know exists since they won't read. I spent the summer reading about the importance of student choice in what they read and how to build reading stamina in my sophomores. My conclusion is that I MUST do a better job of giving my teenagers not only choice in what they read, but also a plethora of adventures in different genres to choose from when reading.
I have chosen graphic novels, memoirs, and popular young adult titles in to tempt them into the amazing world of reading that awaits them. Each quarter, students will choose one novel from the diverse choices on my list and engage in conversation with their literature circle about their title and try to use their persuasive skills to convince them to read their novel during the next choice window. Through choice and conversation, perhaps we can populate the future with informed readers who will lead us to a good tomorrow!