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Called to ReadBy Sara Beth Boggs
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Back in 3rd grade, I was the kid Mrs. Ashcraft asked to come forward and read sections from Where the Red Fern Grows when she became too emotional to read some of its more melancholy moments in front of the class. As she stepped out into the hallway to compose herself, I dutifully sat on the front wooden stool and read the lines to my classmates. Back then, I assumed she chose me because I was the best reader. Now, with the hindsight of a 16-year teacher veteran, maybe she viewed me as the one student she could trust not to throw a paper wad party when she turned her back. Or, maybe it was because I was the one sitting in the front row. Lucky by proximity. Whatever the reason for her choice, I do remember those specific moments—doing something I loved —reading, and not feeling nervous about leading my classmates.
For as long as I can remember, I've loved to read. My parents read my favorite Velveteen Rabbit and Cookie Monster books until I was old enough to read those stories to them. I purposefully carried home my Balloons Reading books from school so that I could line up my Care Bears and Cabbage Patch Dolls in preparation to re-teach them my learned lessons from school.
Is Apathy the New Black?
Now, as a high school teacher involved in daily reading and writing intervention, when faced with the challenge of boosting our below-level readers, and ultimately improving scores on our ever-increasing barrage of standardized tests (EOC, MAP, On Demand), I began with what seemed like the most basic questions during my first few small-group instruction encounters:
---What's your favorite book of all time? What are you reading right now?
Their answers hit me with a dose of reality—the few titles they could remember to name dated back to their grade school days, and a strong majority of students defiantly informed me that they “haven't read a book in years—maybe never.” Now, I was wise enough to recognize that yes, these students have in fact been exposed to class reading and novels, because I have personally witnessed my own students claim the same after we spent the previous two months working through Lord of the Flies. But the flagrant apathy and avoidance are real. How many of us in classrooms from all subjects have heard the same complaints: I don't read. I don't like to read. I don't need to read.
Reignite the Flames
I knew I was facing a challenging task—how do we encourage teenagers to love reading again? I was fortunate enough this year to be placed in a situation that has allowed me to pursue the answer to this question. As a member of the CTEPS program--Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions, I’ve joined teachers from all over Kentucky, representing all grade levels and content areas over the last nine months to focus on challenges we face in our individual schools. Through research and collaboration with our peers, professional mentors and faculty from Kentucky State University, we each have created action plans to bring positive solutions to our home campuses. I’ve researched the causes behind low student reading skills and performance and the effective ways teachers reach their students across the country.
In my classroom this year, I’ve offered student surveys, held meaningful conversations, and tested various strategies with my lovely and willing sophomore students at Frankfort High School. As a result of this work, I’ve compiled 5 Simple Reading Strategies for Success that work for us, and can easily be adapted for every classroom in our building without purchasing extra materials or adopting pricy curriculum programs. Since we share a common goal as teachers in the SUMMIT program, we understand how important self-directed reading and comprehension is for our students. These particular strategies, however, may be used and adapted for any classroom format. These five include: 5 Facts in 5 Minutes, Asking House Questions, Read to Discover, Time It, and Get Moving and I explore them here: https://www.smore.com/5uxap/edit?ref=show_author.
Perhaps the most rewarding result of my CTEPS experience comes from the enthusiasm and passion from like-minded educators--teachers who believe that our jobs matter, and that we can make a difference in our students’ education, and ultimately their futures. I’ve concluded that no matter the reason behind low student performance and reading skills (limited exposure to reading during developmental years, challenging home and socioeconomic situations, peer pressure, drug addiction, depression, medication, hormone changes), I have hope that we can instill a love for reading in our students, no matter their age or situation.
We want our kids to discover joy from our curriculum-to tackle a problem on their own and master it, to investigate the effects of revolutions around the globe, to practice using the best rhetoric to persuade an audience to feel something. Just like I loved handling the pages of Little House on the Prairie, and eagerly read my way through the box set, I wish for my students to find delight in a page.
And the Good News?
Apathy can be reversed. We can grow learners. And we can turn reluctant readers into students who actively chose to read to find the answer to a problem. And when we flip the switch on attitudes regarding reading, we'll see the positive effects in all content areas. Imagine if our science students choose, yes CHOOSE, to read an article from their resource bank over watching a YouTube video tutorial? That would be a very beautiful and cool thing.
For as long as I can remember, I've loved to read. My parents read my favorite Velveteen Rabbit and Cookie Monster books until I was old enough to read those stories to them. I purposefully carried home my Balloons Reading books from school so that I could line up my Care Bears and Cabbage Patch Dolls in preparation to re-teach them my learned lessons from school.
Is Apathy the New Black?
Now, as a high school teacher involved in daily reading and writing intervention, when faced with the challenge of boosting our below-level readers, and ultimately improving scores on our ever-increasing barrage of standardized tests (EOC, MAP, On Demand), I began with what seemed like the most basic questions during my first few small-group instruction encounters:
---What's your favorite book of all time? What are you reading right now?
Their answers hit me with a dose of reality—the few titles they could remember to name dated back to their grade school days, and a strong majority of students defiantly informed me that they “haven't read a book in years—maybe never.” Now, I was wise enough to recognize that yes, these students have in fact been exposed to class reading and novels, because I have personally witnessed my own students claim the same after we spent the previous two months working through Lord of the Flies. But the flagrant apathy and avoidance are real. How many of us in classrooms from all subjects have heard the same complaints: I don't read. I don't like to read. I don't need to read.
Reignite the Flames
I knew I was facing a challenging task—how do we encourage teenagers to love reading again? I was fortunate enough this year to be placed in a situation that has allowed me to pursue the answer to this question. As a member of the CTEPS program--Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions, I’ve joined teachers from all over Kentucky, representing all grade levels and content areas over the last nine months to focus on challenges we face in our individual schools. Through research and collaboration with our peers, professional mentors and faculty from Kentucky State University, we each have created action plans to bring positive solutions to our home campuses. I’ve researched the causes behind low student reading skills and performance and the effective ways teachers reach their students across the country.
In my classroom this year, I’ve offered student surveys, held meaningful conversations, and tested various strategies with my lovely and willing sophomore students at Frankfort High School. As a result of this work, I’ve compiled 5 Simple Reading Strategies for Success that work for us, and can easily be adapted for every classroom in our building without purchasing extra materials or adopting pricy curriculum programs. Since we share a common goal as teachers in the SUMMIT program, we understand how important self-directed reading and comprehension is for our students. These particular strategies, however, may be used and adapted for any classroom format. These five include: 5 Facts in 5 Minutes, Asking House Questions, Read to Discover, Time It, and Get Moving and I explore them here: https://www.smore.com/5uxap/edit?ref=show_author.
Perhaps the most rewarding result of my CTEPS experience comes from the enthusiasm and passion from like-minded educators--teachers who believe that our jobs matter, and that we can make a difference in our students’ education, and ultimately their futures. I’ve concluded that no matter the reason behind low student performance and reading skills (limited exposure to reading during developmental years, challenging home and socioeconomic situations, peer pressure, drug addiction, depression, medication, hormone changes), I have hope that we can instill a love for reading in our students, no matter their age or situation.
We want our kids to discover joy from our curriculum-to tackle a problem on their own and master it, to investigate the effects of revolutions around the globe, to practice using the best rhetoric to persuade an audience to feel something. Just like I loved handling the pages of Little House on the Prairie, and eagerly read my way through the box set, I wish for my students to find delight in a page.
And the Good News?
Apathy can be reversed. We can grow learners. And we can turn reluctant readers into students who actively chose to read to find the answer to a problem. And when we flip the switch on attitudes regarding reading, we'll see the positive effects in all content areas. Imagine if our science students choose, yes CHOOSE, to read an article from their resource bank over watching a YouTube video tutorial? That would be a very beautiful and cool thing.
About Sara: As a child of an Air Force family and an Army wife, I have lived in six states and Aviano AFB, Italy. I received my Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English and Secondary Education, from Ohio Northern University in May 2001. I have spent the last 16 years teaching English in classrooms across the country, including Kings High School, OH, Killeen High School, Texas, LaRue County High School, KY, and Colerain High School, OH. My beautiful, talented, and crazy family lives in Georgetown, KY. The Boggs team includes my husband Evan and daughters Kayli (18), Jaidyn (10), and Jocelyn (7). We enjoy eating great food and impromptu dance parties in the kitchen, listening to Kayli’s college adventures, watching Jai dominate the basketball court, and cheering on Jocelyn’s year-round swim achievements. Our dog Kira and kittens Destiny and Kobe fill our home with snuggles, purrs, and love.
I currently teach English at Frankfort High School in Kentucky’s capital city. I respect our academic mission statement, which includes developing students who are “life-long learners who are civic-minded, college/career ready and progressing to their full potential,” and my experience has prepared me to prepare our students in those areas, including my time with AVID, IB, and AP Literature and Composition classes. These courses encourage students to answer and ask their own higher-level thinking questions, while exposing them to rigorous critical thinking and writing skills. My goal is to foster environments where students learn to love thinking and exploring for themselves.
I currently teach English at Frankfort High School in Kentucky’s capital city. I respect our academic mission statement, which includes developing students who are “life-long learners who are civic-minded, college/career ready and progressing to their full potential,” and my experience has prepared me to prepare our students in those areas, including my time with AVID, IB, and AP Literature and Composition classes. These courses encourage students to answer and ask their own higher-level thinking questions, while exposing them to rigorous critical thinking and writing skills. My goal is to foster environments where students learn to love thinking and exploring for themselves.
