Reading for Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Fall, 2011

I agree completely with this article. Last year in my school we did book studies. I read the book "Bright Beginnings for Boys". Through reading this book I was able to design my classroom to better engage my boys in reading. I put the boys around the outside of the room to give them mobility. I brought in action hero books and graphic novels to engage the boys in reading.

The most important part that the article pointed out is just getting to know your students and knowing their likes/dislikes when it comes to reading. I used a simple reading inventory to find out what intest the boys had. The boys came alive in reading. Buddy reading "Bones" together and begging to take the books home.

I agree with this article. Male students do struggle with reading more than female students. Even in kindergarten I notice that I have more males having difficulty begining to read than females. My boys seem uninterested in books, while my girls will sit for hours and look through the pages over and over. I also notice that it is usually the mother that helps students read at home. Fathers are not reading to their children and boys see women reading in the home and at school. I have been making an effort to pay more attention to what my boys are interested in and find books about those topics to bring into the classroom. I want to start providing more magazines, comic books, and graphic novels for my boys. I hope that it will make them more interested in reading. I also need to make an effort to have more males come into the classroom to read to students, such as the P.E. teacher, fathers and grandfathers of students, a male bus driver, etc.

As I read this I couldn't help but think about all of the boys I have in my classroom now and have had in the past. I have found that a lot of my boys really get excited about non-fiction text and the love to connect what they are reading with something the are interested in.

I think it is important, as the article said, to respect the interest of boys in regard to reading and writing. This first interest could be the first step into the world of reading for them. I agree with the author that we should not "suppress" their reading choices. I like the idea of boys book clubs that the article provided and the idea of using community mentors as reading buddies. Community members often come in to my classroom once per week to read aloud/with struggling students. I have never thought about it much until reading this article, but I have never had a male come in and do this. I would like to change that. I think it would be good for struggling boys to have a male figure that they look up to who is interested in reading.

I have heard for years that motivating boys to read has been a rising issue in schools, however being in first grade, I do not see the effects of this as much. My students are just learning to read and are excited to read anything that they can, whether that is boys or girls.
One thing I notice that works well with boys is to get them into non fiction and allow them to do their own research in National Geographic or Scholastic News. By reading a magazine, they think they are "big" boys. I have also found that when given a subject they are interested in, they riseto the reading level to try to read the text because they are so interested in that topic. I try to notice the books that my students come back with from the library or pick from my books so that I can better accommodate them with reading material later.
One thing I have found that has been more of an issue with boys is writing. Some of them hate to write. Allowing them to write about non-fiction texts they have read or do their own research and reflect on it, encourages them to write more and they are excited about it.
I love how the author of this article discussed pairing young boys up with older boys. This made me think about the possibility of creating a "book club" with my first graders and fifth graders later on in the year. We could pair up students that may be interested in the same topic and my first graders could share their texts while the fifth graders share theirs. They could then do a small project or writing sample with the information they learned together. This would promote reading in both age groups, working together, encourage writing and the fifth graders could be a type of mentor for the first graders.
As teachers, we do need to encouarge boys to read more, but that means that we must find what interests them and give them the resources to pull from. I must keep reminding myself of one thing this author said "It is important not to prejudge what boys are reading." We must remember that the entry point into reading is what is important as well as the fact that they are reading and not necessarily what they are reading. If they can get hooked as a reader, we can take it from there.

This is an important article for many reasons. Historically and even still today the statistics are clear, boys are struggling more than girls in reading. This means things need to change and what we have been doing is simply not working. Boys are not unlike other readers, they too enjoy reading material on topics in which they are interested.

I love the “My Bag” idea. We just finished sharing our “Personality Bags” in my kindergarten class. It was the perfect way to start the year, get to know the individual interests of my students, and allow them time to share with their classmates. I took mental notes (should probably write them down too) for partnering during stations and we compared/contrasted how we are alike and different. The activity was both exciting for the kids and valuable to me, providing information I might not have learned till much later in the year otherwise.

I also think the teacher that used a rap song for word study is brilliant. At Moore our theme is the “8 SMARTS” based on Howard Gardner's multiple intelligences. Although there never seems to be enough time to incorporate every “Smart,” it is perfect for kindergarten to learn and reinforce new ideas through movement and song. We start each day singing and dancing to the “Macarena Months of the Year.” The class loves it and so do I!

While reading this article, I immediately thought of my younger brother. Throughout school he was an average student. He always flew through math assignments but took a much longer time with reading and writing. I was the exact opposite, I hated math but could not get enough of reading and writing. My brother was on the high school football team and his teachers spoke more about the upcoming games than creating ways for him to become more engaged in reading. My brother received an athletic scholarship to play football in college; luckily his coach believed that academics should precede athletics. His coach gave him a book that matched his interests, which was football and this became my brother’s entry point into lifelong reading.

In order for teachers to provide interesting books for boys, they must find out their interests. In the article I noticed that the My Bag strategy was used to find out students’ interests. I am looking forward to learning about everyone through their My Bag this semester! I have used a very similar strategy in my classroom for the last two years and it is wonderful. The students learn about each other and I am able to use this information to help my reluctant readers find interesting books. I love the idea of book clubs. This is a great way for boys to get excited about a topic of interest, read and share ideas together. In the article, Brozo suggested allowing multiple modes of expression during book club. I thought this this was such a great idea. We want boys to become interested in reading and as Brozo states, “find their entry point to lifelong reading”. In order to do this, we need to allow and encourage creativity to make it as enjoyable as possible. I have found that when students are allowed to portray their thinking creatively they learn a great deal. Allowing boys to read books of high interest and express their comprehension through alternative modes will help them to relate reading with pleasure.

The overall idea behind the article, “Helping Boys Find Entry to Lifelong Reading” is an important one, but I was surprised that more teachers don’t take this approach when helping their male struggling readers. I agree that the strategy of helping boys connect their lifeworlds to their school-based literacy is key. Over the years I have seen many boys who show no interest in reading a novel, pick up the sports page and read about their favorite team’s game from the previous night. They have no desire to read their assigned textbook stories, but they will gladly spend hours poring over their video game instruction manuals. I would also go a step further and argue that this strategy is important for any struggling reader; male or female. Brozo’s statement that, “their chances for expanded consciousness and for widening life and career options are sharply diminished without that first step down a path of active literacy” was very powerful. Literacy is a crucial life skill and the effect it can have on a young man’s future cannot be overlooked. I thought Brozo’s recommendations for his book clubs were on point and this is something I will definitely try in my classroom. Finally, I think the line in the article from Sturtevant sums it up nicely. He states, “Linking boys’ out of school literacies with academic literacy is a practice that honors who they are in all their diversity and demonstrates the value we place on youths’ lifeworlds beyond the classroom walls.”

I wholeheartedly agree with the points made in this article. Motivating boys to read is a challenge, and I see it a lot when I tutor at the Sylvan Learning Center. I always try to ask the older students I tutor about what kind of books they like to read and on more than one occasion a boy will tell me he’s never read a book he didn’t have to or that he has never liked a single book he’s ever read. This never ceases to amaze me, especially when these are high school kids. Never liked a book?? I’ve loved books so much that I’ve read them over and over, year after year. So what I try to do is use what I know about that student and ask the other teachers to help me try and come up with a list of books with descriptions that he might enjoy for the next time I tutor him. That’s what makes me like the “My Bag” activity. We did that in my school this year for second grade and every child (and teacher!) made one at home and brought it in to share the second day of school. It was a great way to quickly get to know some key interests of the students. I also loved the book club for boys idea. I think that is a great way for boys to be able to be in control of what they’re reading, not feel like they’re being forced to read something they’re not interested in, and it gives them different outlets for showing what they’ve learned, instead of just the standard essay or test.

This article about boys and their need to be "turned on" to books is so true! We have at our school the mentoring program with books and we widen it further to reach other curriculums. We have really seen a significant difference with our reading and math scores. We try to pair children up with someone from the community with similar interests. It has proven a success!
I wish teachers would take more interest inventories and find out more about their students to really "tap into" what the students' interests are. I think teachers are more worried now on how to teach the test. We are losing more and more students love of learning because of this!

I could not agree more with this article. I have boys in my classroom and finding an entry point to their reading is so important. You really want these boys to develop a love for reading and we as teachers need to do everything we can to help them succeed. I loved the idea of having the students use a song that they know to go along with the concept that is being taught. How often is that something we can do? We can so easily change things around to make it more boy appealing.

I loved how the author said not to "suppress" their reading. It is so amazing that once you give a boy a book on a topic that they enjoy reading they will flourish! I know that in my first grade classroom if I have book on bugs, dinosaurs, cars, and soccer my boys will be in heaven. They will want to read and I know that they will not get enough of what they are reading. We need to make sure that as teachers we are taking the time to get to know the students. I wish that in our daily schedule there woud be time for show and tell. This way I can learn what the students interests are so I can make sure to have books on their interests.

This was the third of the articles I read, and it seemed to go hand-in-hand with, and provide support for the other two articles and what they said. All of the articles indicate that it is important that we provide reading materials which are relevant to students’ lives, materials with which they feel a connection. I liked the point that Brozo made when he noted “So it’s not where we begin, but what we develop along the way on our literate journeys that’s important.” He pointed out that developing “abilities with language may only be possible if youth first become engaged with reading. And this engagement would only seem likely if they are sanctioned to begin their literate journeys with text that interests them, that captures their imaginations.” That philosophy seems to me to be both simple and profound. How could we have missed it before?

Research in many areas around the world supports the realization that boys, from elementary school through high school, have significantly lower reading achievement test scores than girls. If reading materials which are current and relevant are important generally speaking, it would seem to follow that providing that kind of reading material is absolutely crucial for boys if we are to help them develop their reading skills and raise their test scores. I liked the idea of the Book Club, and it seemed to me to be particularly engaging to use lyrics for music students like as a springboard for a literacy activity. I also think the idea of Community Mentors is a good one, if the mentors are truly carefully selected and matched with the students.

I have only taught grades K-2, and I have honestly not observed a huge difference between the boys and girls at those levels. However, it is apparent that the gap increases as the students age. I think we, as educators, have some work to do as we strive to keep our literacy programs current and relevant, thereby making them interesting and engaging for our students. We will have to do some digging to find the kinds of reading materials that will work for our students, and particularly our boys – but I believe that the payoff will make it worthwhile!

I found the book chapter “Helping Boys Find Entry Points to Lifelong Reading” by William Brozo quite interesting. I didn’t know about the longitudinal data that confirms that boys indeed struggle with reading more than girls. During many of my teaching years, I have taught remedial reading and have noticed a high percentage of boys who have needed extra help with reading. I guess I attributed their slow reading start to a lack of maturity or interest, which I’m sure in part contributes to the data provided in the chapter.

Brozo suggests that educators must assist boys in finding “entry points” to help them cultivate the desire for lifelong reading. The author gives several examples of boys who found their entry points. For some it was interest in computers, for others rap music, and for another it was the space program. The important part of finding entry points was to really get to know your students and find their passions. One way he suggested getting to know your students was through the “My Bag” project where you share pictures and personal items that represent yourself with your classmates.

I find this article very pertinent because I am a mom to two young boys. I hope that I am able to help them find their entry points into reading, and I hope that they have teachers that will do this as well. I know that children can be much more successful in school if they read well and enjoy reading.

I like how the author talked about how it’s not about where a person begins with their reading but it’s about what the person develops along the journey. I think that this is an awesome quote that reminds me to never give up on a child and to keep finding new ways to engage my students. This article reminds me of my older brother. He struggled throughout elementary school with his reading ability. My brother was below reading level and he struggled with comprehension, spelling, and pronunciation. Throughout the rest of elementary, middle, and high school my brother’s reading ability slowly improved. Today he has found a new love for reading and his journey of reading has taken him far. He began to read books that appealed to his interests and it made all the difference.

The author highlighted that students need to read literature that is interesting to them; something that is enjoyable. If a student is bored every time they read a book, they are soon no longer going to want to read. I also like the idea about using popular song lyrics to make word families and to help students learn vocabulary. So much of engaging students is about learning who the child is and using their interests and passions to encourage them to learn.

Side question- How can we get more mentors, like Rickey, into the schools to help make a difference in a student’s life?

This is an outstanding chapter. It highlights the issues that many educators see our young men suffering from. I know that there are a handful of schools here in Winston-Salem that have implemented the single-sex classrooms. Although, yes it has shown some success, there are still some flaws. It's about separating the boys from the girls. It's about engaging the students. I love the way that some of the teachers/mentors in the chapter found ways to relate to their students. Creating a rap that focuses on word families is so intuitive to what is important to most African American males. But it is our job as educators to extend an olive branch that welcomes young men to the world of reading. Reading is the key to the rest of their lives.

As I read this article it took me back to a book I read for staff development at school several years ago called Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax. In this book he mentions the idea of boys lack of motivation to read as perhaps a maturity issue. I felt like this article would fall in very well with his research and line of thinking. Brozo mentions finding an entry point to reading as a way to motivate boys to read. What I would say to Brozo about this is it is not as simple as that. What I have found with male students I have taught over the past fourteen years is even when you find material that captures their interest, a lot of boys still refuse to read. I do agree with the fact they we are going to have to create a way to reach these boys if we want to turn this around. The book club idea does seem appealing to me as a teacher who wishes to create an entire classroom of readers.

This chapter does a great job acknowledging the male struggling readers in schools. It reminds me so much of my younger brother who never had a care in the world about school. He was there because he had to be, and the only class he liked was shop class because he got to do things he liked. He had a connection in that class.

I love the idea of books clubs for boys, and kudos to Brozo for stating in this chapter to make having fun a high priority in books clubs. I think that is awesome, and I feel that is a key to success. Reading, and school in general, should be something a child wants to do.

I also like how the eight grade English teacher noticed that the flash cards weren't working, so instead turned the word families into a rap to link it to the students' real world experiences. This opened up a whole new world of learning for those children, and that's something that should be done everyday in schools.

Teachers should always make a good attempt to get to know their students. These struggling boys aren't useless or unintelligent. Learning for them is about find their interests and realing them in from there.

I found this article really interesting. I knew that boys were historicaly more likely to be uniterested readers or nonreader compared to girls. I think of my older brother who hated reading his entire life. He never had an "entry point" until he read Lord of the Flies. He sat in his room and read the book entirely within a 2 day period. I was so impressed that a teacher had actually found something that interested him. I think of that often as a teacher. What book will inspire this boy?
I thought the book clubs were great ideas for boys. I am inspired to find more books that interest the boys in my class. I think I will do a survey to figure out what they are interested in.
A lot of adult males I have spoken to have told me that they didn't read until later in life. They were never interested in the texts in class. I want to inspire the students I work with to read as a way of life.

Helping boys find their point of entry into reading sounds like teachers and parents need to guide boys into finding books of interest more than they need to for girls. The freedom to choose their own literature and different, more creative forms of expression give boys ownership in their reading experience.

I enjoyed reading about the use of rap for phonics and could easily see where boys would be more engaged with this activity than the usual flashcards and workbooks used to learn letter sounds.

I also liked the use of the My Bag activity to learn about students' interests. This is a great way to find topics that can be integrated into the curriculum to encourage more active engagement from the boys. I actually used that activity the second day of school to help my students learn about me. I wanted to let them know I was more than just a teacher and there were many things that interested me. Getting to know your students is they key!

I have both a daughter and a son but found my son more interested in reading because of the visually appealing supply of nonfiction text available today. He loved to read the Dk Books and I Wonder Why Books because they were full of short informational text with interesting illustrations or photos.