Thursday, April 1, 2010
Letting Students Choose Their Own Books?
The Canadian Newspaper The Globe and Mail features a story about how letting students choose the books they want to read makes them better readers. Your thoughts?
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I've definitely enjoyed reading the books I choose more than the books I've read for school. I think it's the same as with anything else, if you enjoy it, you're better at it. A good example is my little brother, he hates reading. A few Christmases ago, I got him some Star Wars books, which got him to start reading on his own...a little.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrea. I enjoy reading books that I choose to read. You're more interested in the book that way and if you don't like it then you're not so upset because you chose that book. When you're forced to read it for school then a part of you starts off hating it a little.
ReplyDeleteI think that choosing books can be beneficial to get people interested, but I certainly would not have been pushed to read some of this material unless I had to. Having a teacher pick material is good as well so that students can read a book that they would not otherwise pick up.
ReplyDeleteI think that choosing a book, like Jill said can get people interested in reading. I think it also helps develop the skills involved in reading.. using your imagination, comprehending the text, etc.. But if teachers didn't choose books, I know that there are some subjects and styles of writing that I never would have learned about.
ReplyDeleteI think making students read book that don't interest them can turn them off to reading completely. In some cases, as teachers try to do, it can open new doors that we might never have even gone looking for. I believe when kids are younger they should have to read what they are told but as they get older they should have the freedom to read what they choose. Like when we did our own book reports over winter break. I enjoyed that a lot more than some of the stories we have tried to trudge through as a class *cough* Heart of Darkness *cough*
ReplyDeleteI believe the more students are made read the less they want to. I, personally, stopped reading in middle school and did not want to read because of what i was being forced to. By my sophomore year I realized I missed reading what I liked and became a hardcore reader again. I think picking your own books helps kids learn more and get more out of it but I also agree that if not told to read the books I have been I would never had read them and missed out on some good literature.
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