Thank you, Captain Underpants

I am delighted to know that Captain Underpants will be coming out as a movie. I have attributed my grandson's love of reading to the series (See Little Bunny books - reading despite school.) In my 12 years as a school librarian, I saw first hand how students who could not read "cat" or "dog" in the basal reader (or chose not to) could readily comprehend "carburetor" or "tyrannosaurus" when engaged in a reading of personal choice.

I suspect the teaching and learning people in my district shudder when they see me coming. I am not shy about expressing my concerns about how traditional reading methods may build skills that are measured on tests, but kill the love of reading in the process. I assert that effectiveness of computerized reading programs like the overpriced Read 180 is grossly exaggerated. OK, I am the tech director, not a reading specialist. I suppose I should just butt out. I would probably not appreciate comments about my choice of wireless access points or content filter coming from those without adequate experience or training.

Yet, I still feel a moral obligation to fight the good fight. The children I see in my classroom visits who are using the drill and kill reading software tend to be minority students. And the old observation by Mark Twain runs through my head as I see the kids go through the motions of reading a paragraph, then taking a quiz - that the person who does not read had no advantage over the person who cannot read. And even (or especially) in today's society, workplace, and post-secondary institutions reading ability is essential for success. By not paying attention to the love of reading, are we not committing a subtle type of bigotry? Are we not creating a subclass of students who may perform on tests, but who do not read independently? And who will not continue to grown in reading abilities through practice?

I would make these three books required reading for every teacher and administrator:

• Gallagher, Kelly. Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It.
• Krahen, Stephen. Free Voluntary Reading and/or The Power of Reading (Second Edition)
• Kohn, Alfie. Punished By Rewards.

Gallagher, Krashen, and Kohn are not just researchers, but humanists as well. Educators in the finest sense of the word.

Oh, and thank you, Dav Pilkey for Captain Underpants.

Comments

[Beverly McBrayer]

Thanks Doug. We who are on the front lines with children every day know this to be true. This reminds me of Jennifer LaGarde's post, Five Ways School Librarians Can Meet The Needs of Students in Poverty which reminded me of Stephen Krashen's messge a few years ago at the NC School Library Media Conference. His message was so powerful, I've continued to follow his posts. For everyone's convenience, here's a list of the most powerful for me from the past few years for anyone who would like to, "Check them out,".

Monday, December 5, 2016
http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2016/12/failing-schools-poverty-and-libraries.html
"Failing" schools, poverty and libraries

Friday, January 24, 2014
http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-common-core-disaster-for-libraries.html
The Common Core: A Disaster for Libraries, A Disaster for Language Arts, a Disaster for American Education

Thursday, January 23, 2014
http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-common-core-and-voluntary-reading.html
The Common Core and Voluntary Reading

Saturday, January 4, 2014
http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-spectacular-role-of-libraries-in.html
The Spectacular Role of Libraries in Protecting Students from the Effects of Poverty

Tuesday, August 13, 2013
http://skrashen.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-common-core-disrespects-self.html
The Common Core Disrespects Self-Selected Pleasure Reading

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks so much, Beverly. Krashen is a wealth of information and real advocate for kids. Links are great.

BTW, here is the URL for the LaGarde post: http://www.librarygirl.net/2016/05/five-ways-school-librarians-can-serve.html

The latest issue of KnowledgeQuest was on Cultural Proficiency and Libraries too!

Thanks again,

Doug