Encouraging kids to read, Not!

[Moonliner]

How is this for ironic?

My wife and I are coordinating the fall reading incentive program for our kids elementary school. The kids read books keep track of their time and it gets posted on the “goal” board. A little friendly competition that the kids enjoy. Sounds simple right?

First the county has decreed that all elementary school kids need to read 12 books/year. So several parents suggested that we FORBID our students in the reading incentive program from reading longer books (like Harry Potter) because it would make it hard for them to meet that goal. Suggesting instead that we force them to read books from an “approved” list of titles like “Henry and Mudge”. It’s hard to even count the number of ways that is just soooo wrong. Kids that are capable of reading “The Halfblood prince”, “The Hobbit” or Hank Aaron’s autobiography are not going to be interested in reading “Henry and Mudge”.

Then when we asked the school librarian to use a corner of the library for collecting the tally sheets twice a week before school. She refused the request because it would be “too disruptive”. Keep in mind that the Library is EMPTY at that hour. Seesch. Me thinks I feel he need to kick some administrative butt.

[cirquelover]

That seems crazy if you ask me!

For our reading program the only stipulation is that they read at their grade level or above. My son would be bored being forced to read "little kids" books. I think if a kid can read Harry and wants to, let them go for it. After all it's only one of the many books they will read throughout the year!

Shouldn't a librarian be encouraging the kids reading program, not throwing a wrench into it! Maybe it's because you are disrupting her quiet time before the chaos of the children

[Prudence]

Better teach those kids when they're young that it's whether you win or lose, not how you play the game!

[Betty]

Bah - why don't they count how long they spend reading each day?
Such as

Half Blood Prince - 1/2 hour - 15 pages

Then they could read what they wanted to and still how it count. Make it however many pages or however long reading counts as "one book".

[scaeagles]

Well, moonliner, you know how librarians are. They don't want to do real work.

I suspect that the parents who are complaining don't want their children to feel stupid if they are reading Henry and Mudge if other kids are reading War and Peace. E

[alphabassettgrrl]

I was one of those kids who was reading "real" books while the rest of the class skated on something as easy as possible. And I still finished first!

Let 'em read whatever they will! At least they're reading something.

I agree with the comment that the parents of the kids reading the baby books don't want to see it. They want to pretend their kid is doing as well as everybody else, though they're not.

[katiesue]

A friends school has a similar program but they have points for each book. The harder/longer the book the more points it's worth. That way the kids that are able to read the harder books are able to do so and get the same amount of points as they would have reading many shorter/easier books.

[mousepod]

Speaking as a non-parent (so far) but a proud nerd, I wonder why the big deal about incentivizing reading? It seems like a parent who instills the joy of reading in their child could also teach said child the ability to distinguish important goals like good grades, manners, and hygiene from less important ones, like how many books one reads when compared to other children in a limited geographic area. Obviously, I have no first-hand experience from the parents' POV, so I'm truly interested in the answer.

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

Well, moonliner, you know how librarians are. They don't want to do real work.

Well Scaeagles, it was nice to know you. Sorry about your early demise (once you know who reads that....).

[Moonliner]

Originally Posted by mousepod

Speaking as a non-parent (so far) but a proud nerd, I wonder why the big deal about incentivizing reading? It seems like a parent who instills the joy of reading in their child could also teach said child the ability to distinguish important goals like good grades, manners, and hygiene from less important ones, like how many books one reads when compared to other children in a limited geographic area. Obviously, I have no first-hand experience from the parents' POV, so I'm truly interested in the answer.

Some kids do need an additional push to get started reading, for the rest I'd compare it to a sport. Once in awhile it's fun to go head to head with other kids and see what you can do. The kids that come out on top of the reading program are just as proud as the kid that hits the game winning run.