Critiquing Required Reading

The classics I was forced to read in school were uniformly depressing. Thankfully reading these melancholic works did not discourage me from picking up books on my own. But how many students fall in the same camp?  Let's imagine a society where kids are introduced to books and reading only at school. None of them are read to by their parents, have books at home, or are taken to libraries or bookstores. Teachers encourage students to read only the classics. They allot no class time to free voluntary reading (FVR). Students are only allowed to read assigned texts.

Some students are lucky enough to grow up in families that value reading. These students come to school with the love for reading already in place. The teachers they come in contact with can help to inspire them to read, but their task is relatively minimal. These students will turn to books, regardless of any teacher-related action. If they're blessed with a good teacher they will read. They will also continue reading if they're stuck with an uninspiring or negative teacher.

Now, let's compare these students who love to read with those students that come to school without the reading-pump primed. Students in the latter camp arrive at school already at a loss. They desperately need to be inspired by books, yet this rarely happens. Instead of being introduced to the magic of reading via FVR, they're introduced via the world of classics or assigned texts. Not surprisingly, they fail to become inspired. Few develop into readers.  It is only when those rare teachers like Donalyn Miller do cross their paths that genuine change is effected, sparking a lifelong love affair with reading. Why should we leave reading so much to chance? Wonderful teachers are only too rare.

The opportunity to develop a taste for reading should not depend on the luck of the draw. Every student should be given the same opportunities to thrive. One way to accomplish this would be to drop "required reading" from the curriculum. I do believe that students will pick up classics on their own, especially if they've experienced a book flood. The approach Miller uses helps to push kids’ reading muscles, without giving them a negative taste for reading. School and public librarians can help teachers impart a love for reading, by providing a range of highly-engaging books, and plenty of opportunities to connect with fellow readers.