It's hard to know what to say about this book without writing a short novel on everything I loved about it and agreed with. I would highly recommend this book to any teacher.
The main idea is this: give students a chance to read in class with a book that they select themselves. Now I could go on and on about everything she said on this subject, but I won't. If you want to know, just read the book.
My copy came from Amazon two days ago and I couldn't put it down. Fabulous! So much to think about as a reading teacher. It's so simply addressed with very logical ideas. I only wish that every teacher would teach reading this way.
I had a great discussion with my junior high son and my high school daughter about the novel units. They felt exactly the same way that Donalyn described this method of teaching in her book.
My daughter just finished their Huckleberry Finn unit in her class at school. She said how much she hated it. "I was so stressed reading it because I had to look for all the answers for my worksheets." My son had the same reaction for his To Kill a Mocking Bird unit in his class.
Donalyn quotes Richard Allington in her book when he says, "When we plan to spend six weeks teaching Island of the Blue Dolphins, we plan to limit children's reading and fill class time with other activities."
I want to quote from this book, but really, where would I start and where would I end? There are too many great things mentioned in this book that all make sense. It's very sad that they are not happening in the schools. I'll leave you with a paragraph that comes from the book.
"No matter how long students spend engaged in direct reading instruction, without time to apply what they learn in the context of real reading events, students will never build capacity as readers. Without spending increasingly longer periods of time reading, they won't build endurance as readers, either. Students need time to read and time to be readers."
Donalyn's love of books is very evident and she shares that with her students.
(I lied, here's one more quote from her in the book.)
"Reading changes your life. Reading unlocks worlds unknown or forgotten, taking travelers around the world and through time. Reading helps you escape the confines of school and pursue your own education. Through characters-the saints and sinners, real or imagined-reading shows you how to be a better human being."
Her goal of teaching students to be lifelong readers is a common thread throughout the book.
Okay, so I did write a short novel.
I hope you get my point--Read this book!
P.S. I have a little more to say.
She has a chapter that is wonderful because it gives alternative methods to the traditional ways of teaching reading. I really connected when she talked about reading logs. How do you parents feel about those anyway? I know for me, it sits on the fridge all month and then we hurry and fill it out and sign it when it's due. There was also mention about reading incentives. Your kids want that pizza or hope to win that big prize, but it was said that the non-readers will go back to not reading when the incentive is over. What's wrong with giving kids the time to read to become lifelong readers for the prize of enjoying reading?
