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“The habit of reading is the only enjoyment in which there is no alloy; it lasts when all other pleasures fade.”  English novelist Anthony Trollope spoke these words over 130 years ago but his statement rings true now just as clearly as it must have back in his day.  I think of that quote often when I look at my students every day.  Most of my students are reluctant readers.  They need to be forced into picking up a book and reading it.  They don’t read for enjoyment, only out of necessity.   

One of the requirements I have in my classroom is that students independently read at least four books a quarter and pass a computerized comprehension test on each.  You would think I have been asking them to write four classic American novels.  For many, this is the most painful activity they drag themselves through each quarter.

I have tried many tricks and methods I can think of to encourage their love for reading.  My most successful methods have started right at a basic level – helping them to find the right book.  Kids don’t naturally know what they like to read and will usually select a book that is far below their reading level.  The adage ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ is better interpreted as ‘Don’t judge a book by the number of pages’.  I scour through the shelves looking for a book I know to be well written and interesting and the first thing a student does it look at the number of pages and says, “no, this is too long.”

I get so frustrated with that attitude.  I tell them over and over again that the number of pages doesn’t matter if he is interested in the storyline.  In fact, if he really gets into the story then the book will never be long enough.  How many of you readers feel disappointed at the end of a good book because the story is over?

After finding a book the student is willing to read, I try to give the class 20 minutes of silent reading time each day. It is amazing how spending even 20 minutes will allow a reader to develop a relationship with the story in the book, which will encourage him to continue reading on his own.

I recently started the One Million Words Read Club.  This recognizes students who have read at least one million words in their pleasure reading during the school year.  The word count is tracked through the computerized tests and students can track their progress.  The club began a few years ago when one of my more smart-aleky students, Christopher, made a bet with me.  He said, “Mrs. Anderson, if I can get to one million words before the end of the school year, will you take me to McDonald’s for lunch?”  I didn’t think Christopher would read that much but I gladly accepted the bet hoping that he would prove me wrong and win.  Needless to say, he did and I was wonderfully in error.

Now that Christopher had set a bar, the challenge was on for other students to match his achievement.  Not to be outdone, two years later Sarina came along and read over 4.5 million words in one school year.  She, along with two other students who read over 1.5 million and 3 million words, each were treated to a lunch at Taco Bell – their choice, not mine! 

Well, Sarina graduated and now Isaiah wants to be remembered as the kingpin of reading.  He has decided to decimate Sarina’s now paltry number of 4.5 million words with a goal of 10 million words!  Halfway through the school year, Isaiah is already well over the 6 million mark and still reading.  To give you an idea of how many books he has read, understand that one of the most popular books being read right now, “The Hunger Games”, has a total of 99,584 words.  Further, one of the books from the popular Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,” has over 190,000 words.  It is safe to assume that Isaiah has read at least 30 books this school year alone!

Reading should never be considered just a pastime to wile away the hours.  Reading is a way to open your mind and challenge your thinking.  It helps build your critical thinking skills, stimulate your creativity and insight, and provides a safe way to escape your daily routine.  One of the greatest benefits of reading is that it stimulates production of endorphins and who doesn’t love that!

I know that the teen years are full of so many choices when it comes to filling their free time.  Sports, the arts, volunteer work, and jobs take up a lot of time.  But the student who can learn to love reading will find a pleasure in life few other activities can match.

Margaret Andersen is the mother of three teenagers and is a middle school teacher somewhere in the Midwest.  She is a regular ShareWIK.com columnist. For more Margaret Anderson articles, click here. 
  

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