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Growing and Maturing as a Reader

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Norbert
Nov 12 2004
12:27 pm

I had been getting frustrated with some of my students who are not reading challenging enough literature for their quarterly book reports. Then I picked up the [u:94ddf5a5b3]Cloister Walk[/u:94ddf5a5b3]by Kathleen Norris and started reading that for the umpteenth time (though I had never finished it). I’m discovering, though, that I’m enjoying it far more than I ever had before. I think that I am finally to a point where I can appreciate and understand her writing and it’s exciting me. (I’m looking forward to trying Annie Dillard again as well). I’m also understanding why some of my students want to continue reading young adult fiction instead of high school aged literature, though I still want to push them.
Has anybody else had similar experiences with a particular author or genre? Something that you’ve grown into?

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Norbert
Nov 18 2004
10:29 pm

Maybe it’s time I defend my book reports. I give four book reports a year, one each quarter. I usually allow my students to read any book of their choice for one quarter. That way, I’m not forcing them to read any one predetermined thing. I just want them reading. In American Lit, one quarter demands any classical piece of American fiction. If they want to read Leaves of Grass, great. If they want to read On the Road, great. As long as it’s a piece of reasonably well-established American Lit (no Nicholas Sparks— the popular author of the time). One quarter they must read a piece of non-fiction such as a biography or piece of history, and one quarter they must read a piece of science fiction or fantasy. This last one is usually the biggest challenge for many students. Science fiction and fantasy tend to be love it or leave it genres, but those who’ve never read them before can learn quite a bit about the style and structure of such books. I think that giving kids the freedom to choose their own books within a set parameter defends against the “I have to read this stupid book” mentality for the most part. It also helps me introduce several types of literature to my students.
As for writing reports. Very few of my students choose to write reports. I have a list of projects which earn them points. Each quarter they must complete a certain number of points and complete an open book test or conference with me about their book. I’m toying with the idea of making them do reading journals once a week next quarter. I never had to do a reading journal in high school or college so I’m not exactly sure how well they work, but I think it’s worth a shot.
In my first post I mentioned that I’m trying to push my students into literature that they normally wouldn’t pick up. This is how I’m doing it, not by saying “You will read Moby Dick and you will write a five page paper on it”. I don’t think that’s very effective teaching either.

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crlynvn
Nov 19 2004
02:45 pm

you don’t have to defend your book reports, Norbert. i wasn’t attacking your book reports, i just never liked having to write the things and that was even in the context of classes where i could read and write on basically any book i wanted. also, on your idea about journalling, in high school for one of my eng classes i had to write journal entries on anything i wanted, which was also something i and many of my classmates also disliked. i don’t have any answers on how to counteract this attitude, it is just high school.

i think the point of what i was saying before is that most students will likely respond to any assignment you give with a measure of reluctance. also that if given a choice with all the other things high schoolers have to do they will probably choose the easier book v. the harder book provided it earns them the grade they want.

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Norbert
Nov 19 2004
09:54 pm

I understand crlynvn. I didn’t feel like I was being attacked. Perhaps clarify would have been a better word to use. Heck. I’m a teacher. I like to hear myself talk, or type. Thanks for the response though.

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eddie
Sep 11 2008
12:41 pm

Norbert\

i think you assume too much when you say that i assume. and i thank you all for responding to my post. even you norbert. i was not basing my comments on any auumptions but rather my own experiences as a teacher. i found that book reports were the low end of the assignment scale and found that there were a lot more creative things to do in the realm of english literature.

dont assume that i assume. that is not Christlike.

Ed.

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eddie
Jun 26 2009
12:28 am

awesome.

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Organic_Warrior
Jul 02 2009
03:38 pm

Fantastic dialoge here. I am new to this site, and am quite excited to be a part of such open and intelligent reparte.

Norbert, great topic here.
I agree with Eddie’s criticism of the book report as an assignment that is of little educational value. John Holt is one of my favourite educational philosophers, and I think he would agree that book reports are designed to meet the administrative requirements of a government created and designed system which requires students to follow rules as they produce products that can be evaluated/graded. Is this learning? Perhaps. Is this giving life to the heart and spirit of the learner, who’s God given curiousity and apprecation for knowledge was most likely crushed a few months into the 3rd grade? I would say no. Schools cannot take the risk of allowing a human to explore literature freely. What if they don’t produce a product that can be graded? Aghast! I would go as far as to say that the exploration of literature in school is not exploration at all! Exploration by my definition is diminished by structure, and in some cases destroyed by structure.

On a different note,
Anyone read “The Omnivore’s Dilema”? I’ve heard some good things about it. Is it worth reading?

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ilovealbertabeef
Jul 02 2009
04:04 pm

loved omnivore’s dilemma. and would recommend it. yes.

off-hand, let me boast a bit here – but for a point, i hope.

i was grade 9 valedictorian (crazy that they even had one, but i even had to give a speech). i was grade 12 valedictorian. i graduated university with a 3.95.

and i never read any book assigned to me by my teachers. i’m not proud of it. i once actually did a book report (100%) on War and Peace by simply skimming the footnotes.

This must be said: I WISH someone had inspired me to love reading then like i love reading now. THAT would have been GREAT.

Instead, my teachers made us read books, that I could stay awake to read, and I’d take notes on the discussion in class, and spit back what they said on a paper and … waalaaa… another 100%.

(teachers love to hear what they already said, so it seemed.)

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ilovealbertabeef
Jul 02 2009
04:05 pm

and yes, i meant cliff’s notes, not footnotes – about War and Peace. Denver Christian School. Grade 12 assignment.

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eddie
Jul 02 2009
04:08 pm

screw u and you 3.95 GPA. no one cares.

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ilovealbertabeef
Jul 02 2009
04:17 pm

i care. and i’m listening.

oh wait, am i talking to myself? shucks. i hate schizophrenia…