I posted this last week under my comments, instead of making a new post- sorry guys still learning.
- Gallager talks about the removal of reading materials, like novels and longer more challenging pieces from the classrooms, the vanishing of silent reading time, and teaching of background information that would've accompanied a novel, all to allow more test prep time. This focus on shallow test reading is affecting brain development. To increase comprehension ability, the brain needs longer passages of written material to process and form connections with prior/future knowledge. Having kids miss this important step in development is not only a disservice to their education, but its ruining a whole generation of would be readers. They aren't exposed to the rich, detailed stories told only through longer works like novels. I rarely read anything else, although because of this class, I have recently found youth novels more appealing because of my time constraints. I still read at least two books/month for enjoyment. For me reading before bed is my wind down time. Some days I don't even turn on the TV. I just curl up on the couch with a good book, my coffee, and my cats. So to learn schools are removing this wonderful medium from their shelves is truly disheartening. I came from a seriously dysfunctional home, and books were my escape from the realities of my life. I found solace in pages where I could be transported somewhere else into my world of happiness, adventure or imagination. I don't know how I would've coped with life then if I didn't have a school library filled with great stories of people who survived and changed their stars.
- September 17, 2010 1:56 PM
I agree that reading the fact that reading for enjoyment is being killed by school and it is a travesty. Unfortunately, I think I am one of those casualties. I was forced to read such boring crap shakespeare and ivanhoe that even the sight of a book turns me away. Also, with all the other stimulations out there tv, video games, computer, etc. I find reading quite boring and with my ADD it is difficult for me to stay focused on it. I've tried to sit down and read and I get distracted so easily. Oh well I thought Gallagher made some good points and I think any reading is good reading at this point.
ReplyDeleteI am going to agree with John, I am also a causality. At the same time, I never had a love for reading, and it has never been an outlet for me. I feel as though reading should not be such a daunting task as schools make it out to be so that some students can develop their love for reading; at the same time it should be understood that not every student will have this love.
ReplyDeleteI agree that school reading is often a turn off to most students as I am also one of those who hate reading in school, however, I loved to read outside of school and on my own. I thought school books, or "the cannon" as it is commonly referred to were largely boring. However, I am now an english teacher and have come to love books I formerly despised. I believe that some schools and english departments are making some basic cultural connections these days and students are more engaged in reading , depending on the teacher, than they were when I was in high school.
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