By: Elizabeth Rowland
Synthesis of Learning
From my course work I learned the importance and urgency in changing the practices educators use that kill the love of reading. In the book, On Developing Readers: Readings from Educational Leadership, Kelly Gallagher (2016) stated “Young people in the United States are not just substandard readers, they are increasingly reluctant readers – even in their free time.” (page 45). This statement really spoke to me because I see and feel the dislike of reading and reluctance to read in my students every day. Sadly, student’s disinclination to read is the effect of schools that use practices that focus solely on improving reading scores and the lack of authentic reading experiences. Instead of teaching students to think deeply and critically, I was teaching them only the necessary information or skills required to pass a test. This kind of instruction was not teaching to the future of my students and was contributing to their dislike of reading.
When teachers design authentic learning experiences that incorporates high quality texts, choice, self-discovery, technology, and relevance; students are more engaged in their learning and will put forth more effort into the task. It is a teacher's job to first teach students to want to learn, and then to teach them to learn. By making these changes in my teaching beliefs, attitudes, pedagogical knowledge, and instructional strategies; I have seen an increase in student motivation and engagement. As I look forward in my teaching, I know this gained knowledge will continue to shape the reading experiences I engage students in to ensure I am encouraging students to be lifelong readers.
"It is not enough to simply teach children to read; we have to give them something worth reading. Something that will stretch their imaginations- something that will help them make sense of their own lives and encourage them to reach out toward people whose lives are quite different from their own."
—Katherine Patterson
