Comments on: Middle School Muddle: Do summer study habits foreshadow what’s to come? http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/ Sat, 20 Mar 2010 04:19:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: 5th grade mom http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/#comment-9290 5th grade mom Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:02:13 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/#comment-9290 The only complaints I got from my son were the two books on his summer reading list that were honestly very boring. He completed the five books and their reports halfway through the summer, with some nagging on my part. I disagree with paying the student to get their school work done. I feel that that is their responsility not an option. I agree with a reasonable summer reading list such as 5 books with 5 corresponding reports like my son had, but maybe requiring 5 books in certain genres instead of particular books. If my son could choose the books he wouldn't have a problem with reading five at all. After he was done with his summer reading list, he has read seven more books on his own before the first day of school, for his own pleasure. The only complaints I got from my son were the two books on his summer reading list that were honestly very boring. He completed the five books and their reports halfway through the summer, with some nagging on my part. I disagree with paying the student to get their school work done. I feel that that is their responsility not an option. I agree with a reasonable summer reading list such as 5 books with 5 corresponding reports like my son had, but maybe requiring 5 books in certain genres instead of particular books. If my son could choose the books he wouldn’t have a problem with reading five at all. After he was done with his summer reading list, he has read seven more books on his own before the first day of school, for his own pleasure.

]]> By: Roberta http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/#comment-9278 Roberta Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:56:31 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/#comment-9278 As the mother of a new 8th grader who reads a lot, but mostly vampire and other fantasy fiction, I think our kids are a lot less likely to read now than when I was a kid. There are just so many other distractions between TV, computer, other electronics, etc. Sure, they are more likely to read if we limit screen/electronic time, but that's not the same as catching the reading bug by themselves. That said, my daughter did her summer homework (6 tricky math problems and write reports on 2 books she read) without complaint. As the mother of a new 8th grader who reads a lot, but mostly vampire and other fantasy fiction, I think our kids are a lot less likely to read now than when I was a kid. There are just so many other distractions between TV, computer, other electronics, etc. Sure, they are more likely to read if we limit screen/electronic time, but that’s not the same as catching the reading bug by themselves.

That said, my daughter did her summer homework (6 tricky math problems and write reports on 2 books she read) without complaint.

]]> By: Justin Snider http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/#comment-9273 Justin Snider Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:10:02 +0000 http://insideschools.org/blog/2009/09/08/middle-school-muddle-do-summer-study-habits-foreshadow-whats-to-come/#comment-9273 Ideally, reading becomes a passion for a child or adolescent at some point. Then there's no need to nag. So one job of educators is to help students find this passion. Reluctant readers are often reluctant only because they have a very limited notion of what "counts" when it comes to reading. Everything counts, really. I am a firm believer that reading almost *anything* is beneficial to students, even if it isn't of particularly high quality from a stylistic/literary perspective. I distinctly remember when I fell in love with books: the summer after 9th grade, when I stumbled upon and then couldn't put down Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Turgenev. My parents had to beg me *not* to read at the dinner table. I've been a compulsive reader ever since, and I almost never go anywhere without reading material in hand. When I taught middle and high school, I'd require all of my students to have reading material (book, magazine, newspaper) on them at all times, both within and beyond the school grounds. The punishment for being "caught" without reading material was to buy me a book, although I didn't usually enforce this. The real question is, how can we help people become lovers of the written word? Naturally, I don't know the answer. But I do know one key, which is to help students discover the kinds of materials they like to read, and then lead them to new writers and outlets about which they wouldn't otherwise know. For sports junkies, I often recommend *Sports Illustrated*, many of whose columnists are first-rate writers. For fans of traveling writing, I usually suggest Bill Bryson. There are good books out there for everyone; would-be addicts just need to be introduced to the right writers and works. Not everyone will come to love Tolstoy, or Thoreau, or Nabokov, or Joyce, but everyone can come to love something. Look at how supposedly reluctant readers in schools the world over fell in love with reading about a wizard named Harry! Ideally, reading becomes a passion for a child or adolescent at some point. Then there’s no need to nag. So one job of educators is to help students find this passion. Reluctant readers are often reluctant only because they have a very limited notion of what “counts” when it comes to reading. Everything counts, really. I am a firm believer that reading almost *anything* is beneficial to students, even if it isn’t of particularly high quality from a stylistic/literary perspective.

I distinctly remember when I fell in love with books: the summer after 9th grade, when I stumbled upon and then couldn’t put down Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Turgenev. My parents had to beg me *not* to read at the dinner table.

I’ve been a compulsive reader ever since, and I almost never go anywhere without reading material in hand. When I taught middle and high school, I’d require all of my students to have reading material (book, magazine, newspaper) on them at all times, both within and beyond the school grounds. The punishment for being “caught” without reading material was to buy me a book, although I didn’t usually enforce this.

The real question is, how can we help people become lovers of the written word? Naturally, I don’t know the answer. But I do know one key, which is to help students discover the kinds of materials they like to read, and then lead them to new writers and outlets about which they wouldn’t otherwise know. For sports junkies, I often recommend *Sports Illustrated*, many of whose columnists are first-rate writers. For fans of traveling writing, I usually suggest Bill Bryson.

There are good books out there for everyone; would-be addicts just need to be introduced to the right writers and works. Not everyone will come to love Tolstoy, or Thoreau, or Nabokov, or Joyce, but everyone can come to love something. Look at how supposedly reluctant readers in schools the world over fell in love with reading about a wizard named Harry!

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