It used to be flashlights under the covers with comic books—now
it’s phones, tablets, E-readers—there is something delicious about wanting to
read so much that we sneak it. I’m not
talking about social media, compulsive scrolling, online shopping, gaming, or
texting—that doesn’t count as reading—but being eager to return to a book does.
It would
seem that school should inspire the love of learning, as libraries do with
clubs and book fairs—but, unfortunately, school ruins reading for most of
us. In this blog post, I want to address
this problem and to offer a model to help us recapture our passion for reading,
so much so, that we abandon our Netflix, YouTube, and whatever new distractions
and addictions have emerged since I posted this essay—because we can’t wait to indulge
our love of books.
On one end
of the continuum is self-motivated, indulgent, glorious wanna reading—the kind we talk about with your friends and never
seem to see in a class; the kind where we fall in love with an author and
scramble to find everything she or he has written. On the other end of the
continuum is studying boring gotta textbooks
in anticipation of quizzes for get-it-over-with courses and grades.
But there are
some truly fascinating works presented in classes that belong on the love side
of the continuum—that are ruined by how they are “taught.” So, it’s not even so much what is included in classes as how we are harassed into, literally,
confronting them. It is truly tragic to
me that, when I ask my students in their senior capstone courses what they love
to read, they look at me like deer stunned by high beams in the middle of the
night. It has been so long that anyone
cared about their experience of reading—since they felt any passion for reading
themselves—that they don’t know how to answer.
Teachers placed themselves between them and books, co-opting, mediating,
and grade-quantifying their experience.
First, it’s such a ridiculous expression:
“I’m teaching Shakespeare.” Under one
interpretation of the expression, that’s ludicrous. Can’t teach Shakespeare anything—he’s totally
gone. And teaching conjures in all of us
the fear of metaphorically being the dunce shamed in a corner, having our
knuckles rapped with a ruler, or having to suffering detention. I reject the prevailing pedagogical model
that favors learning standard information over learning how to appreciate, that
favors assessment models over learning. Teaching should be about inspiring,
modeling for, and empowering students to create meaningful, and intellectually and
emotionally satisfying lives.
Reading was ruined for me,
too. That’s why I can write this. It has
taken me years to actually read through a book without taking notes, highlighting,
annotating the margins, and memorizing “key” ideas. It has taken me years to question whether a
book is worth reading through, just because it is a published work that someone
else required me to read. It has taken
me years to think of books as treasured friends to turn to for relaxation, adventure,
illumination. It’s only now that I’ve stopped, as a teacher, thinking of the
works I assign to classes as reading chores for myself.
To rehabilitate us all, I don’t
give quizzes to police whether students have read our texts. We develop an atmosphere of commitment and
engagement early on and most students come prepared—that is not negotiable. And
I certainly don’t give multiple choice tests.
Horrendously, there are some teachers who actually administer quizzes
and multiple-choice tests in Creative Writing courses. Really?!
I have discoursed on this in other posts, but my focus in our classes is
not what I want, but what students actually get from their readings.
I ask first, a show of hands, of
those who have read the portions of texts we will be considering that
meeting. Most students are honest, and
they know the rest of us will know—given the nature of our discussions—whether they
showed up that week. That’s usually
enough embarrassment for them to come prepared. After that, it’s all about making
the reading belong to THEM not to me as the arbiter of grades. And my hope is
that they will be able to recover from studying and learn how to enjoy the
readings.
One of the following questions will
often catapult us into our discussions: Did you like reading this? Why or why not? What caught your
attention? What did it mean to you? Is this good, engaging writing? Why or why not? What questions arose for you?
Just as a docent will show visitors
how to view new, experimental art in a museum, our class is a place where I can
model different doorways by which to enter a piece of writing, such as imagery,
theme, characterization, structure—but not everyone thinks alike, and not all
strategies will resonate with all students.
I don’t require all students to equally engage with all our
strategies.
Even more than discussion with the
whole class, my students discuss readings in small groups—that’s nothing
new. But I don’t micromanage the
direction these discussions will take with checklists of questions tending
toward “approved” responses. We come together after group readings to benefit
from the often unique and inspiring insights that emerge from the reading pods.
Here are strategies to remember if
we are to pull our readings away from the study end of the continuum back to
the love-of-reading end:
Less is more. Good books deserve rereading and
rereading. What’s my take away this time
from these pages?
Don’t be thorough—be deep. If I try to memorize and retain everything I
read in that limited corridor which is my left brain—I’ll drop it all. Best to
carry away one idea that matters, and to integrate it. Otherwise I’ll drop it all after the test and
it won’t be available to me after.
Take what you like, and leave
the rest. Most teachers would balk at this. My devotion is to inspire—not terrify.
Consider the continuum. Are you reading or are you studying? Ask yourself these questions as antidotes: Do
I love this reading? Why or why
not? How is this reading about me, and
not about the teacher or the test? How
can I use this reading to find deeper and more satisfying meaning in my life? How can I integrate this reading into what I
already know? What else could I read
along these lines that might be more inspiring?
I invite you, as well, to read the
blog post on TRUST—learn to trust yourself, as a reader, despite the
environment of distrust that standard education fosters. Will it be on the Test?: Trust and Joy in the Classroom. The love of reading and your passion for
literature will return if you make it your own.
I look forward to hearing about
your experience of how studying can ruin reading for you. How can and do you nourish
your love of reading?
Works Cited
All my life, I have been an avid reader; in grammar school and high school I was even known as the girl who reads a lot! I would always read with a flashlight in my room and I even have a little library on my desk in my dorm in case I want to do some light reading that isn’t required for a class. I have been in many situations where studying has ruined reading for me because teachers pressure you into having to remember every single that you read, and they assume that you don’t have other classes that you also have to study for. If someone were to look at my textbooks they are COVERED with annotations and different colored highlighters because if I write it out and use colors, I believe it will stick out in my brain a little more. A lot of times if I am reading a play, I need to read it out loud because I’ll get distracted and I won’t retain everything about the storyline that may be asked of me on a test. However, I don’t mind reading and studying for class most of the time because I enjoy learning new information that I can use after the test. I nourish my love for reading by always having new books to choose from to read and also having the classics that I have read a million times. Multiple people can read the same book and discover something different or read something in a completely different way than the other person. You don’t just read a book once and leave it be; you can read it again and discover something new, it can be a safe haven for someone, and reading a book can change a person for the better.
ReplyDelete-Victoria Matthies
Dear Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis is my new favorite blog post because I have been running into this problem this semester. Teachers giving reading quizzes has been making me very angry and I have been having a hard time accepting it. In one class the reading quizzes are very easy and the lowest two get dropped. I also do not have a problem with the quizzes because there are no tests on the reading, so I believe the tests are a fair way of grading if we are reading the material. I do think by giving the reading quizzes she is in a way discouraging some people from talking about the reading in class and our class sadly does not have a lot of class participation. That is the beautiful thing about your class is that almost everyone participates in discussion and who never shoot down anyone’s ideas. This leads me to discuss my troublesome professor this semester who I do not recognize as a teacher because of the way she acts. She has ruined reading for me by assigning two chapters a week but only giving a reading quiz on one of the chapters. I can not read for pleasure due to the pressure of the quiz and I take five pages of notes, so it takes me over three hours to get through twenty pages. Must of the students do not even have time to read the second chapter and I just skim through it. She does not know or follow what is on her syllabus and shuts down discussions if they disagree with what she believes in. I wish I could go back to the good old days where reading brought only pleasure and trills under the covers.
By: Kathleen Conaty
I am over the moon that we have another semester together! You are sunshine and bluebirds!
DeleteDr.Rich, I love, love, LOVE this! I sometimes walk into my English classes and ask my classmates, “have you read any good stories lately” the response I usually receive is “I didn’t even read for this class, let alone reading for pleasure.” This always disheartens me, because reading is such an important part of my life. Since I could remember, I would spend all my time reading. I read every single Junie “B” Jones books and every Magic Tree House book. From there, I would be the only student who ever read the summer reading, but that's where reading changed for me. I began highlighting and taking notes for my summer reading books, something I’ve never done before. I knew there was going to be a quiz or test on the book, so I had to prepare. I had to make sure I memorized the characters, plots, conflicts, themes, settings, etc. because I wanted to get that A. I can honestly say I can’t remember one of the books I read during the summer. The books I do remember are the ones I have read for pleasure. “Looking for Alaska” is one of my favorite books I’ve ever read, and its because I read it on my own time. There was no highlighting or memorizing, it was all pleasure. No work to it. Since I’ve read that book my freshman year, I have been reading one pleasure book a month since, and now I try to read a new book every one to two weeks. This is not only for pleasure, but it also helps me while I have to read books for class. Reading for pleasure has taught me to stop highlighting and writing in the margins, and enjoy the work. Reading for class is MUCH easier because I don’t read too much into it. I let myself interpret the reading however I do, and I don’t try to change it. Unless I’m totally off, most professors enjoy my different interpretations of the readings. There is no need for SparkNotes or Shmoop when you have your own mind for the knowledge. You just have to accept yourself and your own ideas.
ReplyDeleteJessica, What a heartfelt, brilliant response! I am so happy we can enjoy Shakespeare together. You are such a bright presence!
DeleteJessica, What a heartfelt, brilliant response! I am so happy we can enjoy Shakespeare together. You are such a bright presence!
ReplyDeleteReading, reading, reading. I started very young and have never stopped, including in the US Army, even though we were deprived of books during basic training. In my freshman year at college I read many more than the assigned books, not knowing that I was preparing to be a teacher. And now, I have the pleasure of reading with you, I profess, my deepest reader of all time.
ReplyDeleteDebby
ReplyDeleteI really like this blog. Throughout my childhood, I always loved reading. I remember constantly asking my mom to get me a new book because I read all the ones on my shelf once or twice already. I feel like as I got older reading no longer seemed like a hobby but rather a chore because of the way teachers always taught me to read to prepare myself for an exam. Now I feel like when I’m reading, I’m not grasping the purpose of the reading because I’m too focused on just getting it done and over with. I can honestly say that reading certain things for our class doesn’t seem like a chore but rather something that is benefiting me, by making me a good writer. I also prefer reading something verses studying it and I also notice that I’m more capable of remembering certain things when reading versus studying. I’ve come to realise that each time I read something more than once, I discover something that I didn’t know of when I first read the content.
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post really spoke to me. I find that throughout our educational career, we are required to read in order to memorize, not to absorb. We are trained to look for the key ideas, as you mentioned. We are trained to memorize names and details. We are trained to take notes on the pages and bookmark the important things. But one thing we are not trained for is to enjoy the reading. To absorb it, to analyze it on a deeper level. To understand it and attempt to relate it to our lives. To understand what the writer was feeling when he or she wrote it. The way that we have been asked to read, throughout our years in school, has hindered our ability to actually enjoy what we are doing. We are so focused on getting the right answers that we are not actually putting ourselves into the reading. I feel that in our class we are able to really dive into the writing- especially Dickinson's poems. I find that when I am reading them, I re-read them often and really try to understand what she wrote. I also tend to think about how she felt when writing them- although that is purely an assumption. Another class in which I really felt that I was able to submit myself into the reading, was Young Adult Literature. In that class, it was more about reading the books and understanding them as opposed to answering questions on each chapter, like we, as students, are required to do in many other literature courses. This blog post really resonates with me, especially as an English education major. I think it is important for students to put themselves into the reading. To relate and really understand it- but most importantly to try to enjoy it. Reading should not be a chore, it should not be something to dread- which a lot of students do. Reading should be enjoyable, it should be something to look forward to.
Andrea Piaggio
Dr. Rich
ReplyDeleteBeing require to read certain text can sometimes hurt you instead of increasing your knowledge. When we’re quizzed we study what we think we would need for the quizzes that we don’t really pay attention to what actually matters. The value of literature is appreciate it and build knowledge of something that you didn’t know before. Isn’t that the beauty?
To me literature is an escape from reality, it is nice to lay in bed or on a beach and simply get lost in words. Make up the endings, have your own interpretations. I almost lost the feeling for novels if it wasn’t for my Young adult Literature class. We were required to read a novel every week but it never really felt like a requirement, it action felt like a break from all the textbooks I had to read and of course reality. Having that break make me enjoy reading without having to highlight or underline the plot, setting, protagonist and so on. Not having in the back of my mind that I have to analyze this text actually makes me enjoy literature more and gives me the knowledge I want to get from it without knowing I needed or wanted it.
I find myself appreciating literature more and more. Especially with Emily Dickinson. I was never to fond of poetry because of having to study it, analyze and “dissect it” ( I hate that). Why must my interpretation match my professors? But Dr. Rich you truly made me love poetry thus far from the Emily Dickinson course and I thank you.
Hope was not lost for me and I’m glad that I can fall in love with words, express myself with words and learn in my own way. If only other professors felt this way. I rather be original than like the rest.
Always,
Anastasia Vazquez
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI want to start off this post by saying that after I read it, I went ahead and ordered a book I have been wanting to read for the longest time off Amazon. Thank You!
Reading this post made me feel a little sad because I was a kid who loved reading since elementary school. Every month when my school did a scholastic book fair, I would save money that I found in the corners of my house so that I could have enough to buy a book or even a bookmark. I remember being amazed at how beautiful the Barnes and Noble was in NYC when my aunt took me. I remember wishing I could live at the New York Public Library because it was big enough to be a house and it had all these great books. Then, when I finally entered college, I just stopped reading. I will never forget this because it broke my heart. I was assigned to do readings every week and I had to make sure I loved them or else I could have potentially received a bad grade. I had to do papers on readings from a text which I now do not even remember what the book meant. I truly think that college ruined reading for me as well.
I long to go back to looking for recommendations for books and diving into them. I wish I can go back to the times when I could not wait to get home from school because I needed to know what happened in the next chapter of a book. If only professors valued our interest in reading and writing for what it is because this love for books is what students pretty much live for. I personally think that the bulk of the English majors in the Department of English Studies decided to go into the field because of their love of books. Therefore, to bash it and force us to read something and immediately think it is amazing is not a method of teaching at all. I extremely liked this blog post and I really believe that it calls out the issues that I have experienced with most of the English courses that I have taken. I have been in classes where everything is structured until the last minute of class and the professor gave us a checklist about topics to talk about in our discussion which I HATED. On the other hand, I have also had a couple of courses (ex. Writing Poetry) where the professor did allow students to pursue their independent thinking and ways of reading which has really helped me get through with my English minor. I believe that I, along with other students, learn more when the professor is conscious of our likes and dislikes and acknowledges it without criticism. It is my belief that these are the types of classes that students love to take because a student is allowed to be very much involved.
-Alison S.
I will never forget growing up and reading every series there was and loving every minute of it. I can honestly say I haven’t read a book that wasn’t mandatory in a very long time and I kind of feel like I am cheating myself. Ever since middle my first year of high school I haven't read a book. I feel growing up when I was reading I was much more in touch with the little things in life and now that I am out of touch with reading I feel life just moves to fast. When I was reading I feel everything was slowed down and life was just great. I work in an elementary school and most kids are reading on tablets and e-books instead of a physical book which to me is terrifying. Kids at that age should be reading hardcover books so they to can feel the way I felt growing up. Having something physical to hold that has so many words in it and so many different places you can bring it to read is almost magical. I hope schools and educators realize this before it is to late because kids need to know that physical books are special and I think should never be replaced by some sort of tablet. Knowing you can pick up a book and just read without having the distractions of notifications, applications, and everything and just have a book with words in ink is special and mean much more than you think.
ReplyDeleteWell every time I read one of your posts, I feel as if I am about to go on a rant. I believe you are 110% correct. Teachers (even though I aspire to be one) teach to teach. Not to inspire students. I think the reason why I enjoy your class so much is because your technique on teaching and the atmosphere you provide. Do i miss my electronics, of course. But being able to dive into a book for myself and not feeling like I have to memorize every word for a quiz is so relieving. AS a student, I feel as if I read a book, not for my own enjoyment, but for the sake of my grade. I hate the feeling of being forced to read something and memorize, not doing it because I love it. Reading to me is so precious. I used to live in a library when I was in intermediate school. My friends used to tease me because I was the head jock, but so nerdy. My favorite writer was Mike Lupica. I read every single one of his books. I also loved fantasy- science fiction and I read an author that I can never remember his name. Reading helped me to develop my love for writing and inspiring people to read. Every time a movie comes out with a book, I read the book first and compare it to the screen. I find it so interesting to see how much more I enjoy reading the story than seeing it. My love for reading has been taken away from me over the years. I get so caught up in life, I never have a minute to myself. Since I have taken your class, I have noticed my heart back to reading. I am re-reading the book my grandmother gave to me on my 13th birthday, called ‘My Antonia’. Reading will forever be in my heart, even though my classes make it so difficult to love.
ReplyDeleteDr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis blog post really spoke to me. I find that throughout our educational career, we are required to read in order to memorize, rather than truly understand. we are pounded to look for key terms and main ideas rather than "inspire the love of learning" as you mentioned. We constantly have to memorize rather random facts about the characters like what they looked like and their names. But when a kid learns to love to read they fall in love with the characters and picture them in their head and they don't have to memorize is they just know it. I loved reading, the idea that pen on paper has the ability to take you to another place, that you can create your own characters and imagine things beyond this world. I remember restlessly begging my parents get me a new book because I loved to read books but when I was done with them I would give them away so someone else could apprentice it. However, as Ive grown Ive felt a pressure to read and now it no longer gives me butterflies in my stomach, rather it feels like a duty I must do. I’m no longer grasping the purpose of the reading or feeling what the characters are feeling. it truly sad that students must be pushed so hard to read but only to memorize and "understand" neglecting our creativity.
Hajrah Malik
Fernando Faura
ReplyDeleteENG 3215*01
Throughout my schooling, I did not read unless I had to. Whether it was elementary, middle or high school, I never once read a book for pleasure. School had ruined the experience for me. Every book that was assigned was either boring or complex. There was no incentive for me to read after school because I had videogames and no recommendations of authors or books that may have interested me. But once I attended college my attitude toward reading changed. My first book that I chose to read was To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee. That began a literary journey. I would read novels and college text books too. Reading was something that I thought would never be of interest to me. But it all started when I put aside my bias and gave reading a chance.
I actually can really relate to this blog especially the last line of the first paragraph. My sister would always call me talking about books she was reading and I would say girl what are you talking about, then she would explain she pays 10.65 for the kindle app and download unlimited books. When she first told me I’m like girl I will not be paying ten dollars I’m going to do the seven day free trial. After those seven days I couldn’t put my phone down and I gave in and pay that ten dollars monthly. This took me back to my childhood when I simply loved reading, my mom would take me to the mall every two weeks and I would always grab two books and once again become hooked.
ReplyDeleteIn school I can’t seem to get hooked on the books that are required because they seem so boring, half the time I honestly have no clue what the book is talking about. Sometimes Google becomes my best friend to help me dissect a reading. I believe that I’ve had a handful of classes that I enjoyed reading the books that were required. I miss when reading was fun, when I was younger I lived for reading, as an adult that feeling isn’t there like it once was. Thanks to the kindle app I feel my urge to read come back but I still go through those times when I don’t feel like reading. Sometimes it’s not because I don’t want to but because my schedule gets hectic an I hate starting a book that’s really good and I can’t binge read. There are times when I stay up until the sun comes up reading because the book is so good but then I’m tired at work. One of the worst things for me is reading a very boring piece that’s required for studying I can’t stay focused so I honestly just stop reading run to the internet and get a summary and use that as my guide. It works for me so I just simply use that method.
Dear Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteThis semester, I have a literature course with one professor who makes our readings a “have to” and a Shakespeare Survey class with you who makes our readings a “want to”. Our class comes prepared for discussion and you encourage us to say what we feel; individual thinking and uniqueness is not frowned upon. However, in my literature course, our professor lectures and when he asks for participation, everyone is afraid to voice their opinion because he wants our views to match his. Its also frustrating that he gives us pop quizzes for some of our readings to check if we read or not. The questions are very easy but I feel as though he can use that time of the pop quiz to have a discussion about what we liked or didn’t like about the readings which will also prove if we read but it will have more value than a multiple choice questionnaire. It’s the trust and acceptance built in the classroom that welcomes students like myself to volunteer and put in effort. I enjoy Shakespeare because there are a variety of interpretations and I am encouraged to come up with my own. However, in some of my other English classes like the one I previously mentioned, does not leave much room for freedom of expression. I have learned to voice my opinion regardless if it is not agreed upon because ultimately that is what is going to count towards my own success.
-Marilyn Hernandez (Shakespeare Survey 3215-04)
Hi Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteSo, for me, reading is a task. It has been since I was a little girl. I mean I have always had a lot of books and I tried to be someone who loved to read. I wanted to be someone who could say they loved books, but I never did; as hard as I tried. I always found myself picking up a book, reading a bit, and putting it down. Or, I liked to read a book within one sitting. It has always been really hard for my brain to read every so often, as I feel I cannot retain the information I was given. So, then I'd have to start the book over again and I'd get bored. This has happened many times for me. So, for me, unfortunately, reading is a task. I wish it wasn't and there are some books that I enjoy out there. However, school has definitely turned reading into, “I read because I have to” and they have to assign it. Not because I want to read. I think the majority of this distaste toward books came from the summer reading assignments. I would leave it until the last minute because I was told what I had to read and what I had to do with it. I think I only enjoyed the books they choose about two times. It was very disappointing, and I believe that is where my love of reading dwindled. Hopefully, I can regain that after taking your class.
Sofia Feggulis
I think this is the most relatable blog post that I have read yet! As a child, I LOVED to read. I would come home from school and read until it was time for dinner, then bed. I was so drawn to reading since I always felt like I was watching a really long movie! Thinking back, I had every single ‘Jonie B Jone’s’ book that was sold in Barnes and nobles. Once middle school came around, reading was almost a chore for me. I had to read books that were not catching my interest. My parents thought that I was having trouble in school because I wasn’t paying attention, but that was not the case. My classmates and I had to read books, then get tested on them. I always said to my mom, I don’t understand this book because I cannot read past the first boring page. I would catch myself wondering off, and daydreaming while reading at the same time. I wasn’t retaining anything the book had offered.
ReplyDeleteRecently, I have discovered the “books” app, on my iPhone. I bought four new books over the summer to read while at the beach. I never thought that I would find a love for reading ever again after high school. I read from the book app so much, that I was constantly buying new books, and not even caring about the price. I do enjoy feeling the pages on a physical book and flipping them every time I am done with the page, but I find having my books on my phone so convenient. I also find having an entire library on my phone convenient, as well! My favorite thing to do is read until I fall asleep. However, I would always fall asleep with the lights on. Having my books on my phone make it easier for me. I also never have to worry about leaving my “book” behind! This blog post was a great read and I love hearing that I am not the only one who had the issue of finding reading to be more of a task in grade school!
Dr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post entirely! Some of the courses that I have taken over the years required me to read some terrible books. Some books were all around terrible and some seemed terrible at glance because of the way my professor presented it. I have always been a book nerd - I grew up wanting to be a librarian! I have my own office at home with my own personal library and I refuse to own a kindle because it takes away the passion of trying to get to the next page to see what's going to happen next!
Some professors don't know the mastery of how to present a book to it's capacity without diminishing the quality. I appreciate that you give us the opportunity to read and interpret in our own way without being judgmental and critical of our thought process. You give us the freedom to explore other alternatives. Most of your students have taken you before and we continue to take you because you push us to think and read in between the lines.
Dr.Rich I have always been a reader and still today.While I find it time consuming I do novels sometimes three at a time.My love for reading began as a small child when I would refuse to return books that were borrowed from a quaint little library in my little town.My excuse was in order to get the real substance you have to read it several times.Therefore,I have learnt the art of lingering on pages I find really interesting or not too clear and wrestled with it as Jacob wrestled with the angel and would not let go without a blessing.I wrestle with things that are unfamiliar to me until I get some kind of interpretation or understanding of the text.
ReplyDeleteReading excites me it is an opportunity always to learn new words to build my vocabulary or just learn about a new experience.Reading should be fun and pleasant and not presented as a punishment as some professors seem to do that requires you to reach stuff that they themselves may have not read themselves.
Reading was always a big struggle for me, I would never, ever. Want to pick up a book when I was in grammar school. I found books boring and uninteresting, nothing would ever grasp my attention, I would have to read a book for homework and the next morning I already didn’t know what happened in the book. It was very frustrating for me because I felt that I started to fall behind in school because of it. I was put into tutoring to help myself catch up to the rest of the class. It was hard at first but eventually I did get the hang of it. When I started college having ebooks was the best thing I invested on it, when I had an assignment to read I would just get it online. I was so much more practical for me and easier for me to stay on task and focused in my studies. Those ebooks are honestly super handy and the best, makes it such an easy read that now I dont mind reading at all. It is now a little hobby of mine. Reading is super calming to me now. I usually enjoy reading poetry and romantic love stories, both genres have always stuck out to me. Reading is a good way to distance yourself from the world and finding your inner peace within yourself. It is always good have some alone time and and just focus on yourself for a bit instead of constantly being distracted from the outside world.
ReplyDeleteThis particular blog post, The Love of Reading versus Studying: A Continuum, caught my attention, especially with the cover picture at the beginning of the post (which is how exactly how I look and feel when I’m overwhelmed with readings and homework). I’ve always loved reading, ever since I was a little girl reading all of my Disney and Clifford books. I remember I used to always use a flashlight at night under my covers to read a book, just like Harry did in Harry Potter. Now a day, it’s true when you state that there rarely are any more flashlights around because they’ve been replaced with smartphones, tablets, and kindles. In the second paragraph it states, “It would seem that school should inspire the love of learning, as libraries do with clubs and book fairs—but, unfortunately, school ruins reading for most of us.” I agree with that statement and unfortunately for most students, reading is ruined by the schools and / or teachers. Lucky for me, that wasn’t the case at all, because my schools did in fact inspire the love of learning and reading. I was in the fourth grade when I developed my love for reading, and this was because my school held a book fair in the school’s gym every single Friday. This is where students were able to buy or rent out books for a week or longer, and soon enough Friday’s became my favorite day due to these book fairs being held. As I got older (became a college student), I still enjoyed reading but it got a bit harder for me to enjoy it due to having to annotate and highlight main points in reading the texts. Therefore, this is where I feel my love for reading was decreasing, especially when I had to study texts because I was being quizzed on it. I do appreciate and enjoy how you added some strategies to remember “to pull our readings away from the study end of the continuum back to the love-of-reading end.” My favorite strategy that is listed has to be (Consider the continuum) because I feel as if it’s important to always keep these strategies and questions in mind when reading something for the love of it.
ReplyDelete- Kelci Neto
As an English major and an avid reader, this post really connects with me. Throughout my education in English, in both high school and college, we were assigned different novels to read for the class. Usually I had enjoyed the readings. Most of the time they would be works I had never heard of or read before and I loved that. I love getting the chance to read a new book! For instance, in one of my English classes in high school I was required to read the Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls as a summer reading assignment. I had never read it before that point, but because of the class I was able to and it has become one of my favorite memoirs. Because of that reading for classes have been very beneficial in getting me to enjoy reading different book genres that I normally don’t read. also enjoyed discussing the readings in my classes. It gave me new perspectives on the readings and I got to learn more about the books.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have unfortunately not been able to enjoy reading recently. I am not sure why that is but unlike my years in high school, now in college I have been more focused on my school work and because of that I haven’t been reading novels as much as I used to. When I do read, it has been more of a studying kind of reading. Instead of reading books on my own just for the sake of reading, I am reading more because I "have to” and because I want to get a good grade in my class. Which is sad. I should still be able to enjoy what I am reading and shouldn’t be as “left-brain centered”. Because of this mentality of reading for classes that I have now, I am not able to really appreciate the novels and I can feel myself missing out on another great story that I could be enjoying.
-Anna Lee
When I say that I used to hate having to read, I mean it. I've been "having to read" for most of my life. I have been required to slowly and unenthusiastically read from thick hard cover textbooks for as long as I can remember. The work that was required of me in my pre-undergraduate life was rigid and one leveled. I remember having to take quizzes at the end of every chapter, testing me whether or not I was right or wrong. For a long time, I lost the beautiful feeling when books would provoke me to think and take me on the journeys one could only dream about as if they were vivid dreams. As a kid, my dad would read to me every night, a new story and a new set of larger than life characters. As I grew older and became more independent, I would walk to the town library and take out stacks of books, often reading most of them in a few days. Even in college today, I found that in my gen-ed classes, my professors would assign a 30-page reading assignment and never discuss it in class. So, what's the point of doing that reading? If it was a subject that I found a lot of joy in, I would read it but often felt lonely. As of now, my love for reading has been restored. Two years ago, I was given the opportunity to take control of the theatre conservatory's theater library. At first I was nervous to approach the hundreds of plays and texts on the shelves but quickly began to accept the sign. That reassurance of a more fulfilling life through the written word has kept me going, allowing me to pass on my love for books to my friends and even my family. When it comes to a healthy relationship with reading, I believe that it all starts with the reader's willingness to start. If you don't try it, you won't know where it will lead you and your future.
ReplyDeleteOne time I saw a Tumblr post that said something along the lines of being graded on your passions and/or hobbies makes you less interested in them as now that your worth is being measured, and if you don't get a good grade, what's the point? If I'm not doing well in something I love to do, am I really good at it, and is it really worth it? I used to love reading. Books, comic books, fan fiction, etc. But ever since I had to do book reports as a requirement in order to pass a class, I found no value in reading. It didn't matter if I enjoyed the book. All that mattered was if the paper was standard and if I passed the test. As a 4th-10th grader, when I read a book, I didn't read it, I experienced it. So, I didn't really pick up on some details that were on the test, so naturally I got 30/100 on a lot of them. After years of just about standard papers and abysmal grades, I kinda stopped reading. Also the book selections never really interested me. Since then, the only reading I ever did was research for class. Journal article on journal article, that's the only time I ever read. And I grew accustomed to it. I think after my capstone class last semester, I felt as if I was finally free from being graded on reading, and no longer did I have to stare at walls of text to find something that I can cite in my paper. I can finally read for leisure. Except now I can't. I'm still stuck in that wall staring way of reading, so a book doesn't become enjoyable for me anymore because I need the answers immediately. It's not a smartphone thing, it's a studying thing. I can't experience a book the way I used to because I'm so used to reading for a grade. And that sucks. But one day I'll get there.
ReplyDeleteI have my older sister to thank for my love of reading. Growing up six years apart, she had always inspired me, and I wanted to be just like her. My sister was a HUGE bookworm and still is to this day. She was without a doubt an undercover reader by flashlight, and I know this for a fact considering we shared the same room and I was constantly being woken up from the light flashing! She very much inspired me to get into reading and love it as much as she did. Once I was old enough to read “real” books, my mom had bought me The Magic Treehouse series for Christmas; best Christmas ever, by the way! As time went on, I then began reading my sister’s Nancy Drew series, and all her hammy-down books because I needed to know what they were all about; I needed to read the same pages she read.
ReplyDeleteAs I got to school, reading was my favorite thing to do! I needed to be a part of every read aloud and would constantly volunteer to read certain passages. Of course, reading did become harder as time went on because I wasn’t able to read something I truly enjoyed. I always looked forward to summer reading lists because I was able to pick whichever one I found more interesting. One summer, I read every book on the list because I was THAT kid who loved to read. As time went on though, reading became difficult for me.
Attending high school destroyed my love for reading. I wasn’t reading for my own pleasure anymore. Reading turned into tests, and summer reading turned into first day of school papers. I found myself stressing out over minor details I felt could be on the test or trying to discover a major detail I could write my paper on. It wasn’t until a couple years ago in which I found to love reading again. I truly missed the enjoyment and thrill of reading, or the fact I would get so into a book that I was able to finish it within 2-3 days after starting it. I missed all the stories and journeys I would become a part of; getting completely and totally lost in it.
I’ve recently received a kindle from my mom as a present, and I haven’t been able to let it out of my sight. It has its convenience and perks, just because I’m able to download the book right then and there since I can’t get to Barnes and Nobles as often as I would like to. I absolutely miss the feel of having a book in my hands and being able to turn page by page, but with my kindle, I have every book just at the tip of my fingers. I have become excited again about reading and have been building my own personal lists of every book I want to read next. I re-found my love of reading.
--Angie
I can reflect on my childhood years and recall the numerous Saturdays that my mother took my sister and I to the public library in our town. I was born into a household of readers. My mother had a passion for reading; therefore, it was evident that she was going to have her daughters follow that passion. I began reading at a young age and looked forward to indulging in a new book every week. Sadly, this excitement and love for reading ultimately went down hill once I reached college. After taking a plethora of English courses, I have realized that I no longer read for pleasure but rather because I need to for a grade. When reading for class, I am often too concerned about if there will be a reading quiz to follow. Due to this, I find myself highlighting passages when reading which makes me lose interest in the story. Although being worried about possible quizzes does influence my enjoyment in reading, I have also found that when I am not given the opportunity to read books of my choice, I am left unmotivated. I am drawn to a certain genre of books, therefore, when I am asked to read a text that I am not familiar with I often find it draining. It is unfortunate that the readings assigned in certain classes take me longer than needed to read. When reading for class I frequently have to reread numerous sentences and paragraphs because I quickly lose interest in what is being said. Ultimately, the English courses taken in college and the readings that follow them have left me to no longer enjoy reading. I find that it is vital that I challenge myself and begin to read books of my choice on my down time. I am hoping that this will motivate me to gain interest in reading the books assigned in my classes.
ReplyDeleteBailey Vick
When I was younger you could not tear a book that I was obsessing over out of my hand. I read the whole Twilight series in like two weeks. Yet now I can’t remember the last time I was so obsessed with a book that I stayed up to read it. Being an English major there is an insane amount of reading that come with most courses. So forget reading for fun, I’m reading to pass. Even when I do have free time to read what I want to read I am so tired that it is much easier to throw on an episode of Friends that you have re-watched at least 20 times then trying to find a good book to read. Then even if I have found a good book to read I don’t have the time to become obsessive over it like I use to become because I have three other books I have to read in a week. This is why I cherish summers and winter breaks because its finally time to do things that I want to do. But even then I find myself binge watching a show and then realizing the breaks over and there is no time to read again. I think the problem is that we are so obsessed with media that we have to watch all the shows that are popular and that everyone is talking about.
ReplyDeleteDr. Rich,
ReplyDeleteAs I read this post, I feel as if I am somewhat inside of your head! Wow, this is juicy information. I feel that the meat of this post is to get students to become more active readers. While reading, annotating is so important. Annotating is important to any reader, no matter how young or how old. For example, an 8 year old can be reading in his or her classroom at their appropriate reading level and be doing just fine - until the time for an assessment on that reading comes. I feel that this is the time when students freeze up (including myself) and feel pressured that they must do well on the reading test just to do well, meet up to someone's expectations, etc. They do not want to do well to benefit or actually do well. One things that teachers look for when they asses students is to see if the students retained any of the information that they have studied. If not, the teacher should be accommodating and change up their assessment technique. If the teacher is passionate, she will change how the student views taking the test. Maybe the teacher will create an oral exam, asking questions on what the student has read instead of a traditional written exam. The same concept applies to college students, who should annotate what they read anyway. Also, senior citizens should be annotating what they read to keep their minds alive and sharp. Annotating can make reading more entertaining too!
I find it rather fateful that I have stumbled across this blog post today, one day after I have finished reading “Animal Farm” by George Orwell for fun. I developed a love for reading at a young age. My sister would often walk with me to the local library and we would check out books. My brother would sit with me at night to help me read and enhance my reading comprehension as well as my enunciation of words in picture books (I used to say island as is-land).
ReplyDeleteI used to read a lot and credit my poor eyesight with reading in the dark and reading past my bedtime. I understand the joy that overcomes me when I am engrossed in a good book and want to return to it (when everyone keeps bothering...I mean, interrupting me). My recent reading of “Animal Farm” was quite interesting. I knew that the book was something that everyone read in high school, but I did not get the chance to read the book (along with many others). The fact that I wanted to read this school sanctioned book was quite odd, but I enjoyed reading it because I wasn’t forced. As a former AP English student, my brain simply did the annotations and connections automatically. I actually had fun reading it.
I think one of the reasons why I act like a deer in headlights when professors ask what genres I, as a student, enjoy reading is because I feel embarrassed about what I like to read. I know most people get a weird look on their face and ask me why I like that genre because it’s “all the same.” If you haven’t guessed already, it’s chick lits/romance books. But, I also do like other genres like nonfiction, self-help (I get blushy about this, too), adventure, thriller/mystery, and occasionally science fiction (with time traveling!!). Reading is just so “out of trend” that I feel slightly ashamed when I read a book in public, but also kind of superior if I am being completely honest. Reading is a great way to dive into a new world and forget about the current reality. Sometimes, I just like the wholesome feel-good books that tie all the endings to a knot. The world is just so terrible that it’s nice to read something that ends well.
One of the other things that I’ve loved (even though I have anxiety) is the lively discussion that I would have with my classmates when we were forced to read something on the syllabus that we ended up enjoying. The energy in the room is simply unmatched with almost anything that I’ve ever done. When someone talks about a book or a part or quote that moved them...the passion that you can see in their eyes -- it’s...riveting.
I work at my local library now (the one I frequented as a kid) and it has stirred up my love for reading again. I admit that studying and reading textbooks has demurred my passion that I once had as a child, but I know that I am getting back to reading what I love and what I want with no judgement. Although this, along with everything in my life, is a process, I am willing to be patient and eventually grow.
Growing up I hated reading. Ironic right? I have ADHD which really made it difficult to do any schoolwork and I developed an insecurity that I was dumb and would not succeed in anything scholarly. I was an honor student and still thought I was dumb. Then when I went to college and got an A on my first paper it hit me. I AM INTELLIGENT! I can do anything a person without ADHD can and I am! Last semester I had a concussion which really affected my brain. Still with major migraines everyday as well as dizziness and loss of most of my hearing I managed to finish the semester with all B's. Now I absolutely love reading and my favorite thing to read is poetry. I feel poetry transports me everywhere when I read it. If it weren't for my poetry class this semester I would of never found my true love for reading and I am forever grateful.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE reading. I am actually quite proud of my collection of books, plays, and comic books at home. Often, I read with a pencil in my hand to write down important notes, definitions of unfamiliar words, or to highlight quote that I love. Read causes me to learn more through this habit. I always love recommending books to others, or giving friends books to borrow so that we can share our love for reading together.
ReplyDelete-
Jessica DeLuca
Reading is something that I always say I want to get into and do more often, yet I can never bring myself to do it. Especially in a class setting, I could never force myself to sit down and read something, because it never peaked my interest. However, finding the way to relish the text instead of "breaking it down," allows me to enjoy reading. While I still struggle with wanting to do it, I have been reading more frequently and plan on starting a book over the summer!
ReplyDeleteDavid Rivera, Jr.