Margie--I am so thrilled to hear from you! I was thinking about you the whole time I wrote that review, remembering my kids' responses to your question about independent reading... last spring, I think.
If I was teaching high school and felt as if I needed support for independent reading, I'd try to get my hands on the higher ed "bible," the publication, The Chronicle of Higher Education. Along with everyone on our campus, I read it religiously for the four years I served as an assistant public relations director at Rowan University. I can tell you that there was almost never an issue where college and university English departments weren't bemoaning how "poorly read" their incoming students were. In even the "best," most elite universities, professors reported that most students had no connection to current writers, little if any experience reading multicultural lit, no sense of trends in lit and writing, etc. I seem to remember one article where there was a phrase about high school lit in the US being the "canon of dead white men" and needing to be rethought, and retired. Independent reading--using a well-stocked library led by a well read teacher-- would be a godsend in high schools, I believe. Best of luck to you!!!! On 1/23/07 2:25 PM, "Margie Waterbrook" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Mary-- > I was so heartened to read your review. This is my first year teaching > high school (9th and 10th grades) and I have made independent reading a > cornerstone of these courses, but I have been nagged by my own doubts about > whether it is still appropriate in high school, as well as parent complaints > that I am not challenging the students enough. I guess I need to get my > hands on this new Atwell book and add it to the bibliography on > self-selected reading that I now include with my packets explaining reading > workshop. --Margie > > > On 1/20/07, Mary Dovey <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> I became a literacy coach this year and moved to lurker status on most >> lists. Since I wanted to compile all your responses on th is topic for our >> middle school teachers, I thought maybe someone on the list itself would >> find it useful to have all the posts in one place. >> Mary Dovey >> Egg Harbor City, NJ 08215 >> >> PS: Nanci Atwell has published a new book through Scholastic called The >> Reading Zone...she calls it a manifesto for independent reading. It is >> thought provoking and powerful. I bought it through Amazon for about $13. >> Since she has traditionally been a Heinemann author, this work hasn't had >> a >> lot of publicity. I was so impressed that I'm recommending it to everyone. >> Here's the link if you are interested in and would like to read my review. >> >> >> http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/002-2517476-1264829?url=search-alias%3D >> aps&field-keywords=The+Reading+Zone&Go.x=8&Go.y=11&Go=Go >> >> >> ******** >> Every year we have a Brown Bag "You pick the winners" club at our school >> which always generates great buzz for new titles as students share their >> favorites not only during club but also in their classroom settings. This >> year Book Thief by Zusak, New Moon by Meyer, and Yellow Star by Roy were >> voted the best books of the year. To see student thoughts about the books >> we read, see http://www.websterawards.blogspot.com/. Other titles that >> are >> popular with students: >> City of Ember and sequel, prequel >> Anthony Horowitz books >> Gary Paulsen books >> Twilight >> Sisterhood books >> Hoot, Flush >> James Patterson books >> Eragon, Eldest >> Uglies, Pretties, Specials >> Among the Hidden series >> >> Those are a few that seem to continue to be favorites or are becoming new >> favorites. >> >> Bunny Bauernfeind >> Reading Specialist >> Webster Transitional School >> W75N624 Wauwatosa Rd. >> Cedarburg, WI 53012 >> 262-376-6513 >> ************** >> Many of my 8th grade girls have become avid readers this year. They are >> reading the Clique series, It Happened to Nancy, Dear One, Speak, Cut, >> Define Normal, Stargirl, Heartbeat, A Child Called It...they love it...I >> have had to replace it at least three times because it keeps >> disappearing... >> >> As for my boys...they are very reluctant but I found the book Bottled >> Up...pretty strong language but they wouldn't put it down! Also, >> Deathwatch and The Boy from the Basement is pretty popular for my boys. >> >> Nikki Zitlow >> Reading Specialist >> Horning Middle School >> 2000 Wolf Road >> Waukesha, WI 53186 >> >> Phone: 262.970.3364 >> Fax: 262.970.3320 >> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> ************* >> >> The books that are most requested/checked out in our library right now >> >> Uglies, Pretties >> Bluford Books >> Who am I without Him? >> Eldest (after Eragon-- they all liked the book better than the movie!) >> basketball books >> manga and anime (we keep those by the checkout desk because they come >> and go so quickly) >> >> Susie Highley >> Creston Middle School >> ************* >> >> My 6th graders read the Phantom Tollbooth and we're about to start >> Seedfolks >> as our next lit study. >> My 7/8th graders (we have multiage classes) read Bronx Masquerade and will >> be reading Bull Run as a lit study. I teach integrated LA/SS so my lit >> studies are usually attached to our Expeditions. >> >> I can't say that any one book is flying off the shelves of my room as >> their >> tastes are as varied as their moods. >> >> My 6th graders have really been into James Howe's Bunnicula series (he has >> a >> new one out) and the Misfits. Ben Mikelson and Louis Sacher have been >> popular. >> >> My 7/8th graders had a teacher who was totally oblivious to YA literature >> and so they are at best reluctant readers. Walter Dean Myers and Small >> Steps >> by Louis Sacher have been popular, The Sisterhood books, Twilight and New >> Moon have been popular with some of my girls. Accidental Love by Gary Soto >> has been a big hit as well. >> >> Do your kids read a Child Called It? My students somehow manage to get >> their >> hands on it and write in their response notebooks that it is their >> favorite >> book. I just can't figure it out. The content doesn't bother me nearly as >> much as the fact that it is really awful writing. I feel the same way >> about >> Chicken Soup books. I wish I could find some books with the kind of drama >> that attracts them that has some literary value. >> >> I'd love any suggestions if you have them. >> >> Lise >> *********** >> with my students, we are reading Romeo and Juliet, (honors level) Night, >> Ender's Game (honor's), The Outsiders, and we will read The Pigman, and >> probably Princess Bride (honors). >> >> On their own they are getting into graphic novels and really line >> realistic >> fiction. The girls like those "clique" books that is just about gossip >> and >> boys. >> >> Please let me know if you have any other questins. I hope I helped. >> Ashli >> I teach 8th grade Reading >> ********* >> There are more "trends" with my girls: Clique Series, The Uglies-The >> Pretties-The Specials; TGIF and TTFN; Perfect; Sisterhood of the Traveling >> Pants series; Sonja Sones' books--- >> My boys' reading habits are less obvious, but some of the books include: >> Hiassen's Hoot and Flush; Flags of My Fathers; Enders Game; Holes; Among >> the >> Hidden series; Walter Dean Meyers' books; William Sleater's books; Gary >> Paulsen; assorted graphic novels... >> >> Barb Lazar >> (8th grade) >> Cleveland Middle School >> Albuquerque, NM >> >> ********* >> >> For independent reading, LOTS of my kids are running quickly through >> >> Gordon Korman's Chasing the Falconers series (6 books) followed by >> Kidnapped (3 books) - these are really quick fun reads with very >> resourceful kid heroes >> Perfect - Natasha Friend (I think) >> Peter and the Starcatchers & Peter and the Shadow Thieves - Dave Barry >> & Ridley Pearson >> The Revealers - Doug Wilhelm >> >> We also have a competition going with the 15 2006-2007 Florida Sunshine >> titles for middle school - Peter and The Revealers are among those >> titles as was the first of the Falconer series. >> >> I'll check my checkout list tomorrow to see if there's anything else >> really hot. One old discovery by an 8th grade girl is Joy in the >> Morning (same author as A Tree Grows in Brooklyn). She loved it - set >> during WWI, very wholesome romance. >> >> Ginny White >> Fernandina Beach Middle (FL) >> ******* >> girls: Clique; they've discovered Louise Rennison once I brought it to the >> class library; Blister; CON-fidence; Two Princesses of Bamarre; The Wish; >> Fearless FBI series >> guys: Artemis Fowl (most have read them, some just finding); Pendragon; >> Spy >> High, "On the Run" series by G. Korman; >> fantasy lovers: all by Patricia Wrede; Bar Code Tattoo/Rebellion; >> Gossamer; >> Jade Green (horror, actually); girls love Tamora Pierce if they're higher >> level readers >> >> Ginny Paisie >> Cary NC >> ************ >> The Blueford Series are very popular books; Sharon Draper books; >> Bluefingers, a Ninja's Tale by Whitesel; The Warrior Books by Erin Hunter; >> The Spiderwick Chronicles; Becoming Naomi Leon; Graphic Novels; The Sea of >> Trolls....to name a few. >> Lee Ann Rigau <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> ********** >> Hi! >> >> Independent reading choices: >> Princess Diaires (series), Teen Idol >> The Gossip Girls (series) >> Catcher in the Rye >> anything by Nora Raleigh Baskin >> anything by Sonia Sones >> Witch of Blackbird Pond >> The CLIQUE series >> Castaways of the Flying Dutchman / The Angel's Command >> Deception Point >> War and Peace >> Trouble is my Beeswax >> The Fire Within >> Flush >> Five People You Meet in Heaven >> Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul >> The Kite Runner >> Gifts of an Eagle >> the Harry Potter series >> >> >> books we read (or are reading) in class and which were/are well-loved: >> Lily's Crossing >> A Mango-Shaped Space >> Pictures of Hollis Woods >> So B. It >> If You Come Softly >> Chasing Vermeer >> >> Take care, >> Bill Ivey >> Stoneleigh-Burnham School >> ******** >> Wow, my sixth graders must be in a totally different place. They are >> reading the Artemis Fowl series, with a particular interest in the >> newest book which was recently published. They are also reading books >> by E.L. Konigsberg, Lois Lowry, Kathleen Paterson, and Jerry Spinelli, >> particularly their more recent novels. The more sophisticated sixth >> graders are enjoying historical fiction by Robert Westall and Goodnight >> Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian. >> >> Amy Holtzer >> Middle School Dean >> Sixth Grade Team Leader >> Solomon Schechter Middle School >> Hartsdale, New York >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> *********** >> Middle schoolers are really into the Maximum Ride series by James >> Patterson >> right now! >> >> also: >> Uglies, Pretties, Specials >> The Bluford Series >> anything by Walter Dean Meyers especially Monster >> Speak >> Cut >> any diary type books like: Go Ask Alice, It Happened to Nancy, Annie's >> Baby >> Lord Loss series >> Cirque Du Freak series >> Middle schoolers are really into the Maximum Ride series by James >> Patterson >> right now! >> ************* >> The Blueford Series of books, The Extraordinary Adventures of Alfred >> Kropp, anything by Dan Gutman, RL Stein's The Boyfriend, The >> Girlfriend. >> >> Patricia Sankey >> Reading Specialist >> Templeton Middle School >> The Clique series >> Anything by Sarah Dessen, Laurie Halse Anderson, Meg Cabot, Louise >> Rennison, Deb Caletti, Anthony Horowitz >> Pendragon series >> Perfect by N. Friend >> Guinness Books >> Football, Hockey >> >> Mary Jane Waite >> Librarian >> Keller Sullivan School >> 500 Lincoln Street >> Franklin, MA 02038 >> ********* >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org >> >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive >> > > _______________________________________________ The Literacy Workshop ListServ http://www.literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/lit_literacyworkshop.org. Search the LIT archives at http://snipurl.com/LITArchive
