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Over on Parenting, the topic of summer readings lists came up. From an educator's point of view, what is the purpose of required reading lists? Do you think that it inhibits a love of reading when kids are made to read 20 or 30 books over the summer rather than choosing their own?
Reading lists are to practice specific skills of reading, to have a common point of reference when they return to school in the fall and to keep them reading and not playing video games all summer.
We never had them, but as an avid reader from a young age, I didn't need them...I read all the time, anyway, independently of school.
Honestly, reading for pleasure is something schools have little control over...kids either love to read, or they don't, and most of the time, it is related to whether that is nurtured or reinforced at home. Making homework over the summer doesn't do anything to foster a desire to read for those who wouldn't choose it on their own.
A far better approach (in addition to just reading to your kids regularly) is to have kids participate in public library summer reading programs from a young age, where they are read to, have a variety of cross-disciplinary activities built in, and introduce the rewards of reading for pleasure early on...required reading lists ad making reading a chore never inspired anybody.
It is not teachers' jobs to keep kids from spending all summer playing video games, or doing or not doing anything else all summer, for that matter...it's up to parents. Teachers are already charged with too much pseudo parenting during the school year...to be responsible for requiring a course of curriculum we are not there to teach strikes me as a potentially noble effort, but wrongheaded and not all that effective.
It is not teachers' jobs to keep kids from spending all summer playing video games, or doing or not doing anything else all summer, for that matter...it's up to parents. Teachers are already charged with too much pseudo parenting during the school year...to be responsible for requiring a course of curriculum we are not there to teach strikes me as a potentially noble effort, but wrongheaded and not all that effective.
And I teach reading and language arts.
I totally agree. Kids should be able to do what they like over the summer. It's called a break.
Ideally, parents should be introducing palatable reading options on their own over the summer without a teacher's order. The idea that reading can't be presented as a worthwhile leisure activity, or that reading is an odious task that should be avoided when you are "on break" is not great, and goes a long way toward explaining some kids' attitudes about reading.
I agree with kids reading for pleasure over the summer (and anytime). I just don't agree with it being a teacher responsibility.
Ideally, parents should be introducing palatable reading options on their own over the summer without a teacher's order. The idea that reading can't be presented as a worthwhile leisure activity, or that reading is an odious task that should be avoided when you are "on break" is not great, and goes a long way toward explaining some kids' attitudes about reading.
I did not say that reading cannot be presented as a worthwhile leisure activity. Nor did I say that it was an odious task that should be avoided. YOU SAID THAT.
Reading lists are to practice specific skills of reading, to have a common point of reference when they return to school in the fall and to keep them reading and not playing video games all summer.
But reading in and of itself is just great for the brain. Why do specific skills need to be gained during summer vacation? Why not during the school year?
I also find your point about video games to be condescending. Most of us parents don't need a teacher to make sure our kids are doing what they (teachers) think they should during the summer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TabulaRasa
We never had them, but as an avid reader from a young age, I didn't need them...I read all the time, anyway, independently of school.
Honestly, reading for pleasure is something schools have little control over...kids either love to read, or they don't, and most of the time, it is related to whether that is nurtured or reinforced at home. Making homework over the summer doesn't do anything to foster a desire to read for those who wouldn't choose it on their own.
A far better approach (in addition to just reading to your kids regularly) is to have kids participate in public library summer reading programs from a young age, where they are read to, have a variety of cross-disciplinary activities built in, and introduce the rewards of reading for pleasure early on...required reading lists ad making reading a chore never inspired anybody.
Great post! ITA!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TabulaRasa
It is not teachers' jobs to keep kids from spending all summer playing video games, or doing or not doing anything else all summer, for that matter...it's up to parents. Teachers are already charged with too much pseudo parenting during the school year...to be responsible for requiring a course of curriculum we are not there to teach strikes me as a potentially noble effort, but wrongheaded and not all that effective.
Our kids finished class yesterday with a half-day . . . (school gets to bill a full day for that). But the school had already stopped teaching a couple of weeks ago after the Texas State Mandated STAAR Tests.
So at any rate, we had grabbed the Half Priced Books, Barnes and Noble, and the Library lists, and started putting them together -- but the kids found the pile and one of them are about half way through, since the school stopped teaching.
A lot of kids would learn a lot more if the education industry were not in the way.
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