Students' Reading Rights
I think, for the most part, school has started across the country. And hopefully, for many students, this is the year they become excited and engaged in their own reading lives. Unfortunately, for so many, they are required to read designated titles and then regurgitate lessons in the form of written responses, worksheets, or discussions. But this doesn’t teach kids to love reading and books, it teaches kids that reading is a chore – something that has to be checked off the to-do list every night.
So, how can teachers and librarians encourage kids to want to read? Teachers can check out some of these amazing resources to inspire their own classrooms:
- The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child by Donalyn Miller
- Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids by Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp
- Passionate Readers: The Art of Reaching and Engaging Every Child by Pernille Ripp
I know that it can be difficult to re-imagine your entire classroom, as well your entire syllabus and I can only imagine how difficult it can be to come up against administrative officials when there are specific learning objectives and requirements in place. But, just think about what it can do to create strong readers who know what they like to read, are willing to try new books and have a rich reading life both in and out of school.
Maybe you can’t change everything you want about your classroom, but you can create an environment that ensures that students understand that reading is a vital part of what happens each and every day.
- Have a strong classroom library filled with titles for all levels – make sure it’s diverse in a variety of ways and includes titles that are both fiction and nonfiction
- Create a strong partnership with the school librarian, who’s job it is to encourage literacy throughout the school
- Reach out to local public librarians – I know we’re always looking for ways to support our school district
- Allow kids the time to read each and every day in class
- Be a reading role model – during that reading time, make sure you’re seen reading as well
- Read aloud to the class
- Participate in #ClassroomBookaDay and read picture books in class
- Booktalk new titles, have kids share their thoughts about the books their reading in a variety of ways
