As I read this chapter, I kept thinking of the book in which my title is named after (written by Michael Smith and Jeffrey Willheim). It is a look into the literacy lives of adolescent and teenage boys--how many schools don't cater to what boys need after high school and they don't show the relevance to everyday life. While this thought is not entirely related to Jake's story, it is something I couldn't shake out of my head. I thought of this book as I read about Jake throughout this chapter. I related to Jake's story as a teacher because he is the type of boy I teach everyday, only I teach older Jakes.
What happens to boys like Jake between the primary years and the high school years is crucial. Most of the boys I teach have similar backgrounds: parents who were dropouts but are hard-working blue-collar folks, who have a good priority for education but who may not want to move on to college after high school and instead will try to find a good job. This sector of students is one that is not being reached in schools today, but it's not because schools aren't trying. Many boys don't see the need for reading--they don't see how it would fit into the life they want to live outside of high school. English class is just one more class they have to get through in order to graduate. In fact, in my senior English class right now, many of the boys are reading their first "on their own" book (at my insistence, of course). Many boys make it to high school, and despite the teacher's efforts, don't want to try to be literate. What is it that happens between those primary and secondary grades? Jake, at times, seemed so interested in learning, when he was given independence of course. Many beginning readers, both male and female, are eager to show that they can read. They are eager to accomplish this new skill. Yet when they make it to high school, it is no longer "cool" and no longer something they even want to attempt. Like the title of the book I mentioned explains, "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys," and, no, reading technically does not fix a car--a person does. But students of either gender need to be taught that being literate in today's society can lead to skills like fixing cars. How can we find the relevance in reading in our schools so it is something our students WANT to apply to their lives?
At the high school where I work, my colleagues and I really do try to make learning relevant to students' lives. There are so many options at this school for vocational classes, and even the core classes attempt as best we can to make learning relevant (trying to muddle through those state standards, of course!) Yet the students resist this. Where is the weak point, and how do we break through that?
Christy Rivers
Comments (3)
Your comments made me think of an all boys class we have in our third grade. The teacher really tries to cater to their interests and keeps learning active and competitive. Although there are still struggling readers in her classroom, they love school and feel successful. I think it is important to find ways to motivate our students, especially the boys, who often have different learning styles.
Posted by Jayne Thompson | April 20, 2009 5:48 PM
Posted on April 20, 2009 17:48
Christy, this is the thing. How do we keep these students motivated? The sad thing is that with all of these budget cuts, trade classes like shop and auto tech are going to be first to go. I actually took carpentry in highschool my first 2 years. This class was amazing. It was hands on and my teacher made us read magazines,draft our own plans, and take tests. This helped encourage students to read and write. We need to make learning more interesting for these students, make english classes like "shop" class, show them a point to reading and writing. perhaps, if they like cars, let them create a research project on the history of the automotive industry or if they like building, research some architecture. We have to move away from what is expected and start teaching real life things. if we can get students to buy into learning, then we can teach them the more intangible materials like the classics and Shakespeare. But, we first have to get them hooked.
Posted by Whitney Gilbert | April 20, 2009 10:22 PM
Posted on April 20, 2009 22:22
Senior boys reading their first self-selected book! Woah. So glad they are in your class! Have you done any inquiry with them to find out how they have managed to go so far in their education without learning about the pleasure of reading??
Posted by Alecia Jackson | April 23, 2009 8:51 PM
Posted on April 23, 2009 20:51