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Most people are lazy, and, therefore, to have the endless opportunities to just sit and watch something or poke a button or two was bound to be more appealing than reading. Reading too frequently requires that the reader think, whereas as most of the technological devices in use today simply require some basic motor skills and the "ability" to react.
Having an emotional reaction has replaced thinking.
That number seems high but it's not so far from the truth.
It makes sense when you realize that the national standards are created by "ivory tower" kind of folks as well as folks with vested corporate interests and traditionalist agendas.
I agree with OP. My son is in public school and hates to read. My middle child is homeschooled and loves to read. Why? Because we help her choose things she WANTS and is interested IN!
I hear what you're saying, but sometimes it does help to stretch one's comfort level a little.
Public School 7th grade, i had to read The Giver and Lord Of The Flies whether we wanted to or not plus do a report on it and test.
Homeschool...No sally, you can read Wizard Of Oz or Babysitters Club if you want, just answer a couple reading comp questions.
Its like that in all grades.
You may not have liked The Giver or The Lord of the Flies, but they are important books that raise important thinking questions.
My granddaughter read The Giver in 5th grade (and she was a young fifth grader because of her birth date). The assignments she came home with stretched her thinking. She has not yet read The Lord of the Flies and she is going into 7th grade this year, so we shall see. The Giver is on a 6th grade reading level so it is a good book to read during 5th to 8th grade. It is a disturbing book, but challenges children to think about how cultures create meaning. It can also spark a discussion of what memory means to humans and how losing memory as you get older can be difficult. I understand being disturbed by the murder of infants who don't fit in, but again the whole idea is to get students thinking and communicating about these ideas.
The Babysitters Club is not really a good series for 7th grade as the reading level is about 3rd or 4th grade. They aren't bad books, but certainly not school material especially if you want both girls and boys to be interested in them.
The Wizard of Oz might be appropriate in similar ways. It's reading level is appropriate for 7th grade and if the teacher can communicate the themes, it can be done well. I think there are schools which do assign this book, just not many of them. It would be interesting to discuss in school, but it would depend on what themes are emphasized (importance of home, family, friends, the conflict between good and evil, the importance of taking journeys and adventures).
That number seems high but it's not so far from the truth.
It makes sense when you realize that the national standards are created by "ivory tower" kind of folks as well as folks with vested corporate interests and traditionalist agendas.
I disagree about the books. Note that the common core reading lists are not required and districts (mostly) and teachers get to choose which ones they want to teach.
There are lots of multicultural books suggested so kids can learn about other cultures.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is suggested for 4th - 5th grades btw.
For 6 to 8, I love that they have science fiction and fantasy on the list including Harry Potter
I like the emphasis on non-fiction because many kids really enjoy reading about things that are real.
If you don't like the assigned reading at your local schools, the place to start is with the school board and the librarians and teachers - you might want to look at the curriculum goals and what the assigned books are intended to teach.
Yes, in high school, kids often are assigned Shakespeare which can be difficult for them to get through, but still difficult does not mean boring.
I disagree about the books. Note that the common core reading lists are not required and districts (mostly) and teachers get to choose which ones they want to teach.
There are lots of multicultural books suggested so kids can learn about other cultures.
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is suggested for 4th - 5th grades btw.
For 6 to 8, I love that they have science fiction and fantasy on the list including Harry Potter
I like the emphasis on non-fiction because many kids really enjoy reading about things that are real.
If you don't like the assigned reading at your local schools, the place to start is with the school board and the librarians and teachers - you might want to look at the curriculum goals and what the assigned books are intended to teach.
Yes, in high school, kids often are assigned Shakespeare which can be difficult for them to get through, but still difficult does not mean boring.
Good points, but I'm not sure if most school boards will get involved unless the assigned book is controversial such as Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye.
I have even seen a comic book version of a Shakespeare play that was used in a high school class. In many classrooms, reading a Shakespeare play means mostly watching the video.
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