As I was on one of my new favorite websites, Pinterest, I came upon a book quote that stuck out to me "Finally READING for your own pleasure, in places quiet or loud, in relative comfort, preferrably without interruption, the book you've been meaning to read for months and which has been on your shelf waiting for you to have TIME." This quote really stuck out to me because it made me realize how little time I get for my own pleasure reading. I think reading for pleasure is extremely important because it gives kids a time to relax, become lost in a good story, and it works their minds. I know many students who don't ever read unless it is for school and I think teachers should do their best to revise this mentality and encourage reading for pleasure. I think the importance of pleasure reading should be encouraged in elementary, middle, and high schools because learning to enjoy reading helps students expand their horizons of literature and works their minds.
One ways that teachers can encourage reading for fun is to do a unit in their English class where the kids can pick their own books out. If kids are able to select their own books, it gives them the opportunity to physically look around a book store and library and browse through various books. They might discover a genre they never thought about reading or an author they have never heard of. Being able to select their own book puts the student in control and gives them the opportunity to discover a book they would actually enjoy reading. In many English classes only a few genres are discussed and read in class. Many times they are the "classics", such as The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mocking Bird, and A Tale of Two Cities. While these books are great books, some students might have a hard time making personal connections to some of the characters because of the time period or differences in social aspects of the characters. Building a personal connection with a character is important for students because it makes them feel connected to the book and enhances their enjoyment of it. Also, I think schools should start up different Book Clubs throughout the school so that students can have book discussions with other students and learn that reading can be fun because it starts great conversations.
As a future teachers I want to encourage all my students to take the time to find a book and genre they would enjoy reading and make time for pleasure reading. In high school, whenever I was stressed out or wanted alone time I would grab whatever book I was reading and curl up on my couch. This allowed me to "escape" for a few hours and gave me much needed alone time. As a college student now I try my best to make time for pleasure reading even if it is only a few minutes before bed, because I know that when I become a teacher I want to be a positive demonstration for my students. I want them to be able to see that reading can be fun and isn't just something you have to do in school.
Pinterest is also one of my new favorite websites. On there, I have read many quotes that have made me realize things in life. I feel that reading for pleasure is something that should be valued. As a college student, I do not feel like I have enough time to sit down and read a good book of my choice. I have so many other readings to do for my classes that I would get behind if I took the time to read something of my choice. As a future teacher, I would definitely incorporate a reading for pleasure time into my students' curriculum. I would let them read whatever they wanted and log that time.
ReplyDeleteReading for pleasure is one of the activities that I love most in life, however I often feel as though I have no time to sit down with a book of my choice. I am often overwhelmed by the amount of reading that I have to do for classes and when I have free time, would rather watch mindless television. However when I make this decision I sometimes question myself, and remember how much I enjoy reading for the pleasure. The majority of my friends and the people that I know that are students do not find time to read for fun, and often have lost the joy of reading all together. I think it is vital for teachers to provide students the time to read books that they enjoy. I think it is possible to teach students how to analyze, and appreciate text while allowing them to read books of their choice, versus always reading "the classics". Even if you give students a few books to choose from, they are more likely to be responsible for their work and to take it seriously if they are able to make the choice of what to read.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I love that quote! I wish I had the time to read for myself. I try during summer and winter break to read at least a few books, but why should it only be at those times? Instead of reading I spend hours on Facebook, and watching TV, when I should be expanding my mind through reading. I hope that this upcoming generation, which is around so much technology, doesn't forget the importance of sitting down and reading a good book. I know that I am going to try and read for fun more often!
ReplyDeleteReading for pleasure is extremely important. As teachers we want our students to enjoy reading. For elementary school children it is easier to get the kids excited to read and them to read on their own. Teachers can introduce them to books with colorful pictures and interesting story lines. But, as kids grow older reading is not longer fun. It comes difficult to do because teachers require reading on top of a lot of other homework. Having book projects where students can chose the books that they want to read is a good way to get kids to read for pleasure. They should be able to find books that interest them. Reading is extremely important because it expands on knowledge and makes kids imagination soar. Doing so will make kids want to read and hopefully that will stick with them.
ReplyDeleteI love reading. It's an activity that I miss the most in college. Even though I try and read for fun, it gets so difficult when I have a million other things to do. So what I have been trying to do is changing my attitude towards reading for classes. I know some books will always be boring, but I'm a crazy person who tries to find a way to make a dull situation more positive. I think if we as teachers approach reading a book for class to be exciting, it will encourage students to read for fun. Instead of saying we have to read this book, make it exciting. Pull different resources, find fun audio versions of the book, or make a connection to something that the students can relate too. I know it is a difficult, but sometimes just changing the situation into a more positive one makes it a better experience for all readers.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that growing up my school district placed a major emphasis on reading for pleasure. In elementary school we were allowed to pick our own books to read independently, then come up with a unique way to present what we read to the class. We did silent reading time everyday and constantly had different "book clubs." In book clubs, we would vote on what books we wanted to read then break into different groups and have small discussions. We used many books on tape, we acted out important scenes from the books we read, we would rewrite parts of the book or change the traits of the main character. Teachers often would pick a book and have everyone sit around them while she read it out loud to the class. I remember doing this even in 5th grade and I think it was extremely beneficial. My school really did a great job of showing me all of the different ways I can enjoy reading. To this day I feel that it has helped me enjoy all types of books, and put up with the ones that I have to for class too.
ReplyDelete