Question from a teacher about your kids...

[Anonymous]

What district are you in that doesn't have mandatory books? You must not teach AP or maybe even not honors if you don't have to do some standards. I think you are focusing on the wrong thing. You should intermingle some classics, not just YA novels that don't require any skill in reading. The Hate U Give, for instance, is a phenomenal book, and a great topic - but in terms of difficulty or challenge it is severely lacking. They should have to learn how to conquer a challenging text, written in a different time period. Only being interested in today and today's specific type of dialogue / writing / vocabulary will not offer any growth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What district are you in that doesn't have mandatory books? You must not teach AP or maybe even not honors if you don't have to do some standards. I think you are focusing on the wrong thing. You should intermingle some classics, not just YA novels that don't require any skill in reading. The Hate U Give, for instance, is a phenomenal book, and a great topic - but in terms of difficulty or challenge it is severely lacking. They should have to learn how to conquer a challenging text, written in a different time period. Only being interested in today and today's specific type of dialogue / writing / vocabulary will not offer any growth.

I’m not going point by point but: no. You don’t understand literacy and education. Please don’t tell me how to do my job... just answer the question I asked.

[Anonymous]

My rising 9th grader, who is an excellent student, does not read for pleasure. However, he reads the books that are assigned, and even enjoys some of them. Notably, he tends to like classics, so I wouldn't assume kids hate "old" books. They are classics for a reason. I don't think he would like having no guidance. Maybe give them 5 books to choose from or something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader does not read for fun - he is dyslexic, but won’t even read audiobooks for fun unless there is literally nothing else to do - can’t swim, play ball, draw, or use a screen. He has found he falls asleep better if he reads before bed, so he often does, but only for 15 minutes or so.

He reads dystopia for fun - reading Gone now, loves Hunger Games and Divergent. He really liked Unbroken and The Hate U Give. He generally dislikes books suggested by librarians and teachers - not enough action and violence, too much text describing how people feel about each other. Whether teachers aren’t aware of new/popular YA lit and so don’t recommend it, or feel like kids must get their fill of it and so suggest something else I don’t know, but we have a really hard time finding books my son might actually want to read.

I’d suggest keeping your list very wide - The Hate U Give might qualify for your list, no? - and reminding kids that audiobooks are books, and that they might like them better than eye reading.

That’s the thing, I have no “list.” It will be whatever the kids want. What I will do is provide suggestions if they are like “I don’t know any books about a social issue” but I have no list they must choose from. I keep up with/read/purchase a lot of current YA and have those in my classroom library as options they can choose from. Some kids like YA and some don’t- the ones who don’t often see it as too juvenile.

OP there are a lot of crossover books- I mentioned earlier that my DS is in MS. He reads everything from MS, to YA, to crossover adult fiction. The books are written at all levels - everything from literature to a th grade reading level with a more mature theme.
I suggest that you provide a written list of options for students who want a list. My DS has ADHD and has a lot of trouble narrowing his choices, making decisions, etc. He is a student who benefits from some help and gentle direction. The other thing is *please* (unless it's an assigned book) don't make the kids take notes while they are reading-- DS has teachers who do this and destroys the flow and enjoyment of the book. Just completely ruins the experience.

I know you’re being helpful but trust me, I know all this. This (literally) what I’m trained to do and have advanced degrees in.

Fellow teacher here. If you know all this and are literally trained to do this with advanced degrees then why ask? You asked for input based on their individual children. She is telling you her feedback based on her child's education experience. No need to be rude.

I’m not being rude! I asked did their kids read and if so, what they did. I don’t need someone telling me there’s crossover books (like how would I not know this?) don’t make the kids take notes. I don’t do that.

[Anonymous]

13 year daughter read The Giver series, Divergent series Hunger Games series, and Wounded by Eric Walters this summer. She would love the freedom to pick her own book, and appreciate the list of ideas. She loves to read and dreads the idea of having to read something she can't get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My rising 9th grader, who is an excellent student, does not read for pleasure. However, he reads the books that are assigned, and even enjoys some of them. Notably, he tends to like classics, so I wouldn't assume kids hate "old" books. They are classics for a reason. I don't think he would like having no guidance. Maybe give them 5 books to choose from or something like that.

I would guess your son is white. White kids don’t mind classics because it centers their stories and experience. Consider how children of color feel about the “classics.” I have to teach and reach all kids. The classics don’t cut it for many of them and contain harmful language and ideas that are difficult for those kids to listen to and discuss in class. At best, they simply ignore entirely the experience of POC. At worst, they’re denigrating and objectifying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader does not read for fun - he is dyslexic, but won’t even read audiobooks for fun unless there is literally nothing else to do - can’t swim, play ball, draw, or use a screen. He has found he falls asleep better if he reads before bed, so he often does, but only for 15 minutes or so.

He reads dystopia for fun - reading Gone now, loves Hunger Games and Divergent. He really liked Unbroken and The Hate U Give. He generally dislikes books suggested by librarians and teachers - not enough action and violence, too much text describing how people feel about each other. Whether teachers aren’t aware of new/popular YA lit and so don’t recommend it, or feel like kids must get their fill of it and so suggest something else I don’t know, but we have a really hard time finding books my son might actually want to read.

I’d suggest keeping your list very wide - The Hate U Give might qualify for your list, no? - and reminding kids that audiobooks are books, and that they might like them better than eye reading.

That’s the thing, I have no “list.” It will be whatever the kids want. What I will do is provide suggestions if they are like “I don’t know any books about a social issue” but I have no list they must choose from. I keep up with/read/purchase a lot of current YA and have those in my classroom library as options they can choose from. Some kids like YA and some don’t- the ones who don’t often see it as too juvenile.

OP there are a lot of crossover books- I mentioned earlier that my DS is in MS. He reads everything from MS, to YA, to crossover adult fiction. The books are written at all levels - everything from literature to a th grade reading level with a more mature theme.
I suggest that you provide a written list of options for students who want a list. My DS has ADHD and has a lot of trouble narrowing his choices, making decisions, etc. He is a student who benefits from some help and gentle direction. The other thing is *please* (unless it's an assigned book) don't make the kids take notes while they are reading-- DS has teachers who do this and destroys the flow and enjoyment of the book. Just completely ruins the experience.

I know you’re being helpful but trust me, I know all this. This (literally) what I’m trained to do and have advanced degrees in.

Dear teacher, there are now two of us telling you similar things: one PP has a kid with dyslexia, one with ADHD. If reading was fun and easy for our kids, they would read for fun already. It’s not that they don’t read for fun because no one has thought of giving them xyz opportunity. The low hanging fruit has been picked by high school. What you are left with, when it comes to non-readers who might someday become readers, are kids like mine. Super smart, physical, twitchy, kids are are disengaged from the world of books in part because school has been so stinking hard for them. If you can find a way to engage my boy in books, bless you.

[Anonymous]

Another teacher here just chiming in to say that you sound like a very good and thoughtful teacher. I imagine you work at a private school? Since you seem to have flexibility in what you teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another teacher here just chiming in to say that you sound like a very good and thoughtful teacher. I imagine you work at a private school? Since you seem to have flexibility in what you teach.

Nope, public. But a great school and a great department which means my colleagues and I get a lot of freedom to teach the kids in the way we think is best and we are constantly collaborating. Current research shows that students read more when given choice. My classes are built around readers and writers workshops - it’s just that this year I would like to move away from free choice independent reading during class to doing all our literature study around books of choice. If that gets them to read more, that’s the important part. They don’t need to be forced into Gatsby or Mockingbird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader does not read for fun - he is dyslexic, but won’t even read audiobooks for fun unless there is literally nothing else to do - can’t swim, play ball, draw, or use a screen. He has found he falls asleep better if he reads before bed, so he often does, but only for 15 minutes or so.

He reads dystopia for fun - reading Gone now, loves Hunger Games and Divergent. He really liked Unbroken and The Hate U Give. He generally dislikes books suggested by librarians and teachers - not enough action and violence, too much text describing how people feel about each other. Whether teachers aren’t aware of new/popular YA lit and so don’t recommend it, or feel like kids must get their fill of it and so suggest something else I don’t know, but we have a really hard time finding books my son might actually want to read.

I’d suggest keeping your list very wide - The Hate U Give might qualify for your list, no? - and reminding kids that audiobooks are books, and that they might like them better than eye reading.

That’s the thing, I have no “list.” It will be whatever the kids want. What I will do is provide suggestions if they are like “I don’t know any books about a social issue” but I have no list they must choose from. I keep up with/read/purchase a lot of current YA and have those in my classroom library as options they can choose from. Some kids like YA and some don’t- the ones who don’t often see it as too juvenile.

OP there are a lot of crossover books- I mentioned earlier that my DS is in MS. He reads everything from MS, to YA, to crossover adult fiction. The books are written at all levels - everything from literature to a th grade reading level with a more mature theme.
I suggest that you provide a written list of options for students who want a list. My DS has ADHD and has a lot of trouble narrowing his choices, making decisions, etc. He is a student who benefits from some help and gentle direction. The other thing is *please* (unless it's an assigned book) don't make the kids take notes while they are reading-- DS has teachers who do this and destroys the flow and enjoyment of the book. Just completely ruins the experience.

I know you’re being helpful but trust me, I know all this. This (literally) what I’m trained to do and have advanced degrees in.

Dear teacher, there are now two of us telling you similar things: one PP has a kid with dyslexia, one with ADHD. If reading was fun and easy for our kids, they would read for fun already. It’s not that they don’t read for fun because no one has thought of giving them xyz opportunity. The low hanging fruit has been picked by high school. What you are left with, when it comes to non-readers who might someday become readers, are kids like mine. Super smart, physical, twitchy, kids are are disengaged from the world of books in part because school has been so stinking hard for them. If you can find a way to engage my boy in books, bless you.

I hear you and the very thing you say - “school has been so stinking hard for them” is what I work against every single day in my classes and a big reason I am attempting this shift. I WANT your kids to not feel like school is hard and miserable for them to merely exist in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another teacher here just chiming in to say that you sound like a very good and thoughtful teacher. I imagine you work at a private school? Since you seem to have flexibility in what you teach.

Nope, public. But a great school and a great department which means my colleagues and I get a lot of freedom to teach the kids in the way we think is best and we are constantly collaborating. Current research shows that students read more when given choice. My classes are built around readers and writers workshops - it’s just that this year I would like to move away from free choice independent reading during class to doing all our literature study around books of choice. If that gets them to read more, that’s the important part. They don’t need to be forced into Gatsby or Mockingbird.

You're beyond obnoxious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader does not read for fun - he is dyslexic, but won’t even read audiobooks for fun unless there is literally nothing else to do - can’t swim, play ball, draw, or use a screen. He has found he falls asleep better if he reads before bed, so he often does, but only for 15 minutes or so.

He reads dystopia for fun - reading Gone now, loves Hunger Games and Divergent. He really liked Unbroken and The Hate U Give. He generally dislikes books suggested by librarians and teachers - not enough action and violence, too much text describing how people feel about each other. Whether teachers aren’t aware of new/popular YA lit and so don’t recommend it, or feel like kids must get their fill of it and so suggest something else I don’t know, but we have a really hard time finding books my son might actually want to read.

I’d suggest keeping your list very wide - The Hate U Give might qualify for your list, no? - and reminding kids that audiobooks are books, and that they might like them better than eye reading.

That’s the thing, I have no “list.” It will be whatever the kids want. What I will do is provide suggestions if they are like “I don’t know any books about a social issue” but I have no list they must choose from. I keep up with/read/purchase a lot of current YA and have those in my classroom library as options they can choose from. Some kids like YA and some don’t- the ones who don’t often see it as too juvenile.

OP there are a lot of crossover books- I mentioned earlier that my DS is in MS. He reads everything from MS, to YA, to crossover adult fiction. The books are written at all levels - everything from literature to a th grade reading level with a more mature theme.
I suggest that you provide a written list of options for students who want a list. My DS has ADHD and has a lot of trouble narrowing his choices, making decisions, etc. He is a student who benefits from some help and gentle direction. The other thing is *please* (unless it's an assigned book) don't make the kids take notes while they are reading-- DS has teachers who do this and destroys the flow and enjoyment of the book. Just completely ruins the experience.

I know you’re being helpful but trust me, I know all this. This (literally) what I’m trained to do and have advanced degrees in.

Fellow teacher here. If you know all this and are literally trained to do this with advanced degrees then why ask? You asked for input based on their individual children. She is telling you her feedback based on her child's education experience. No need to be rude.

I’m not being rude! I asked did their kids read and if so, what they did. I don’t need someone telling me there’s crossover books (like how would I not know this?) don’t make the kids take notes. I don’t do that.

DP here- You are, though. Her kid reads crossover books. She was suggesting them. And clearly plenty of English teachers do make their students take notes while reading, so how was she supposed to know that you don't? You didn't share your lesson plans or education philosophy or anything. She's telling you what their experience has been. If you're this condescending and patronizing to your students, no wonder they refuse to engage in your class.

Also I would bet money that you are within your first 5 years teaching, and either Teach for America, or some other SJW white woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 7th grader does not read for fun - he is dyslexic, but won’t even read audiobooks for fun unless there is literally nothing else to do - can’t swim, play ball, draw, or use a screen. He has found he falls asleep better if he reads before bed, so he often does, but only for 15 minutes or so.

He reads dystopia for fun - reading Gone now, loves Hunger Games and Divergent. He really liked Unbroken and The Hate U Give. He generally dislikes books suggested by librarians and teachers - not enough action and violence, too much text describing how people feel about each other. Whether teachers aren’t aware of new/popular YA lit and so don’t recommend it, or feel like kids must get their fill of it and so suggest something else I don’t know, but we have a really hard time finding books my son might actually want to read.

I’d suggest keeping your list very wide - The Hate U Give might qualify for your list, no? - and reminding kids that audiobooks are books, and that they might like them better than eye reading.

That’s the thing, I have no “list.” It will be whatever the kids want. What I will do is provide suggestions if they are like “I don’t know any books about a social issue” but I have no list they must choose from. I keep up with/read/purchase a lot of current YA and have those in my classroom library as options they can choose from. Some kids like YA and some don’t- the ones who don’t often see it as too juvenile.

OP there are a lot of crossover books- I mentioned earlier that my DS is in MS. He reads everything from MS, to YA, to crossover adult fiction. The books are written at all levels - everything from literature to a th grade reading level with a more mature theme.
I suggest that you provide a written list of options for students who want a list. My DS has ADHD and has a lot of trouble narrowing his choices, making decisions, etc. He is a student who benefits from some help and gentle direction. The other thing is *please* (unless it's an assigned book) don't make the kids take notes while they are reading-- DS has teachers who do this and destroys the flow and enjoyment of the book. Just completely ruins the experience.

I know you’re being helpful but trust me, I know all this. This (literally) what I’m trained to do and have advanced degrees in.

Fellow teacher here. If you know all this and are literally trained to do this with advanced degrees then why ask? You asked for input based on their individual children. She is telling you her feedback based on her child's education experience. No need to be rude.

I’m not being rude! I asked did their kids read and if so, what they did. I don’t need someone telling me there’s crossover books (like how would I not know this?) don’t make the kids take notes. I don’t do that.

OP-- I'm the pp who answered about crossover books and taking notes. Your original question is broad- does your kid read for pleasure, what do they read-- but most importantly, answer if your child *doesn't* read for pleasure. Most involved parents want their kids to read for pleasure and have theories and reasons if their child doesn't enjoy reading or makes narrow choices. We know what helps and hurts the situation because we live it at home. It's not as simple as matching a kid with the right book. The whole situation for that student must be taken into account--and many of us have seen destructive, counter productive situations in schools that teach our kids to hate the activity that we want them to learn to love.

My mention of crossover books was because I was surprised at how much my son enjoys them and sometimes they aren't offered- I mentioned the taking notes because it has happened, and resulted in anger and frustration, my son telling that he "hates books and reading" (not true) and on a particularly bad evening the book might get flung across the room. The teachers who did this were also trained.

[Anonymous]

My guess is most of your kids have negative experiences with note taking from books and such from middle school. They seem to teach books that way in MS. In my class, we work on skills and ideas and then apply them to the books we are reading. I’ve done this with class texts in the past but with a little more effort on my part, this can be done with kids reading their own books. Their assignments are tasks with real life applications: write a business letter to someone about an issue you care about. Write an opinion piece. Create a podcast with your peers on this topic you’re interested in.

Many high school teachers are moving away from lecture-note taking-test models of classroom teaching and toward this model. So, while a PP thinks I/it are obnoxious, it’s really just responsive teaching that focuses on kids reading and writing as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My rising 9th grader, who is an excellent student, does not read for pleasure. However, he reads the books that are assigned, and even enjoys some of them. Notably, he tends to like classics, so I wouldn't assume kids hate "old" books. They are classics for a reason. I don't think he would like having no guidance. Maybe give them 5 books to choose from or something like that.

I would guess your son is white. White kids don’t mind classics because it centers their stories and experience. Consider how children of color feel about the “classics.” I have to teach and reach all kids. The classics don’t cut it for many of them and contain harmful language and ideas that are difficult for those kids to listen to and discuss in class. At best, they simply ignore entirely the experience of POC. At worst, they’re denigrating and objectifying.

I’m AA. It depends on the book, but also, your definition of what is the classics. I object to the Little House on the Prairie series because of the anti-Black and anti-Native content, but my bio kids benefited from reading The Odyssey and many other classics. I’m the sponsor of the Minority Scholars Program at my school so I think I’m “woke” enough to recognize harmful content.