Do I Gotta Read This: Random Thoughts about Class, Kids, and my Life as ...

Do I Gotta Read This: Random Thoughts about Class, Kids, and my Life as ...: "*** Read these and take them with a grain of salt. I am a new teacher (less than 2 months experience) *** I listened to a podcast about clos..."

I will agree with a state in the beginning about students desire to read books on the approved school list. I feel that our choices as teachers of what the student is to read is in part a reason for the students lack of desire to read. I know there are books they must read but these may need to be paired with books of similar topics that are related to ideas that are in their area of ownership.

A good article to stimulate critical thinking.

Asking the Question

Today I spoke to a class about the method of learning that they enjoyed the most. One by one, they spoke to me of the use of creative strategies that sparked their desire for inquiry. They all professed that they enjoyed projects that involved their abilities to choose what they wished to pursue over the tried and true lecture form. The feeling of ownership and choice of subjects of interest winning out over the idea of choosing the easiest path. This seemed to follow into the realm of reading. When given choices, the student seems to desire to read the material more than if it is chosen for him. We should think more of the idea of book lists with books that are important to the student as much as to the faculty.

A book is like a visual radio.
The mind must transcribe the text into visual images in the mind for the creative spark to light the stage for the mental drama to take place. The beauty of the book just as with a radio story, is the ability of the mind to make a perfect image of a hero or landscape. The image is always the perfect Clark Gable or Cary Grant or John Wayne. It is a shame that so many have not grown to love the book. It is the perfect entertainment, the cheapest education,  just by opening a book and diving into sea of information.

Lighting the spark of creativity

To open a book is to light the fuse. The lines of printed words a fuse of letters that put together creates an explosion of images in the minds eye. 
How do we light this fuse in ones who will not open the book?
How do we make them understand what they are missing?
How do we ...