At MU I took two methods courses with Dr. Gilles. They were essentially the same course, but one focused on writing and the other course focused on reading. She once asked us, which course we preferred and later made the statement that most people have a preference. I never really understood how anyone could prefer reading to writing. As a good student and follower does, I have taken Dr. Gilles' advice and made sure I covered both adequately and alternately.
My students have opened the year with reading poetry, then we wrote poetry, then we read fiction, now we're writing fiction. Each time we write my students are completely enthralled in the experience (at least the majority of them). When we have to read, it's a completely different story.
For instance, we completed Literature Circles last week and my students were ascetic. I had four books going and two of the groups were a little more than mildly excited to read their books. The other two were heavily annoyed by the constant repetition and the fact that they had been assigned the school books which are in horrible shape (clumps of pages are missing in most of them and the binding is coming apart). Could it be a coincidence that the groups who were reading the brand new books I bought with my own money seemed to be having a more pleasurable experience? Just food for thought...that's another blog entry on another day.
Back to the matter at hand. After Lit. Circles, we began studying how to write Friendly Letters. We had a shortened week so I figured we could knock this out now. It's as if I teach two different classes. This week when we wrote our letters, I was reacquainted with the same students I taught when we wrote poetry. Today, their final drafts of their three paragraphs were due. I had students wanting to skip P.E. to finish writing their letters and address their envelopes. Skip gym; that's unheard of! Puzzling to me.
Why, why, why? Why do they prefer writing to reading. Reading seems to me the easier option. There is much less work and effort required. They read a book, discuss it, answer questions and on good days they draw something about the book. When we write in my class, my students produce an average of two rough drafts and I mark up their precious drafts. Writing always takes more explanation, instruction, and modeling on my part so I know it must require more physical and mental effort from my students.
Did they enjoy writing their letters because there is more freedom of expression? That's really the only thing I can think of. Let me know if you can offer any plausible explanations that explain why my students prefer the long, sometimes daunting task of the writing process.
Meanwhile, I'm off to read a book.
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2 comments:
Well, it could be that writing is more engaging because it requires personal involvement from the student whereas reading is a passive activity. Reading stimulates imagination but writing is where you get to express yourself. I took an intensive writing course once and found it to be very cathartic.
Glad to hear you are finding all the pedagogical training is paying off!
Wow, that's the complete opposite of my room! I don't know if it's because they get to sit on my cushions, or if it's because they're picking their books, but for a good two months during first semester I was asked, "Do we get to read today?" When I'd ask them to write I got the worst faces, complaints, and whining I've ever heard in my life.
Perhaps, when you want them to read, move your room around and let them sit on the ground on cusions, or play soft music. (Hahaha, I just read that as mew-zich, like some of my Bosnian children's last names). I know that you don't use all of your desks anymore thanks to the smaller number of students, so shove some to the side and make a little reading cove. I'm pretty positive that's why my kids liked to read in my class.
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