How do you structure reading - free vs. assigned

[sahm99]

My kids are voracious readers. We use SL and TONS of other books I can get my hands on (living in a non-english-speaking country makes this difficult at times).

Recently I am having more and more issues with ds concerning the choice of books. There are some SL books he just does not want to read. I have been quite layed back until now, but am getting worried that we will eventually need to get to a point where he reads what is assigned. Without. constantly. second. guessing.

My impression is, that he has never experienced reading as a "chore/schoolwork", but always as pleasure. Consequently he is irritated by a choice of book that would not have been his.

 

How have you dealt with this? I certainly want to do all I can to preserve his love for reading...on the other hand I want to push him out of his comfort zone a bit, and "officilize" his reading....(at least part of it)

 

Thanks for sharing your thougts!

[Laura Corin]

I ended up assigning a book a week (or two weeks if long) as official reading. It hasn't stopped them reading other things. Now that they are at school, they only have assigned reading in the holidays.

 

Laura

[KristineinKS]

My kids are very much the same way and the way it works around here is that everything goes on the schedule and they have to read what is assigned. Twice in the past month or so, they've been pleasantly surprised by a book that initially they were dragging their feet over. In fact, last night my dd opted to read her assigned book before bed, rather than the book she'd been reading for fun.

 

Only once or twice have I allowed them to not finish a book and that was because they found it so painfully boring that they simply weren't getting anything out of it. However, I try to avoid selections like that as much as possible.

 

You didn't mention your son's age, but I noticed more resistance from my boys when they turned 12. Frankly, it's hard to get them to do anything these days! However, the assigned readings have not killed their interest in reading.

[amtmcm]

I ended up assigning a book a week (or two weeks if long) as official reading.

 

Laura

 

:iagree:

 

That's what we do also. As long as the assigned reading is getting done, they are free to read what they want on their own time.

[Elizabeth in MN]

We have two different times for reading. During school work my daughter reads for a half an hour. She can choose a book from the limited selection of books on one book shelf. These would be books that a child her age should be reading according to "Honey for a Child's Heart" and the AO website for her grade. Giving her a choice from the limited books gives her a sense of control.

 

The other reading time is bed time, and she can read just about anything then. I have a home library built on the suggestions from "Honey for a Child's Heart". It's one book case and there are a lot to choose from. I will let her read some popular books. She just finished the last Harry Potter book and has moved back to the Percy Jackson books. Nothing about the bedtime reading is assigned or required.

[PeterPan]

Occasionally I go through spurts like that, and then I realize it's possible to take that next step but do it gently. For instance I found some Lori D lists with a whole bunch of good books and told her we should start reading through them. WTM also has lists. So you're moving him forward, but still allowing him choice. SL books are SO specific in taste, it's not shocking he doesn't like some. Doesn't everyone have those feelings about some of the books in a core?

 

I wouldn't swing too hard to overcorrect. The point is to keep him moving forward with reading. Most reading (fiction) is enjoyable if the time is right for the dc. I think sometimes the problem with the broccoli reading is the timing. Wait a bit, and a gentle nudge would get them there. Just because they can read the words doesn't mean the time is right. There are lots of other challenging books he could read (from those OTHER lists like Lori D's or WTM's) that would keep him reading and moving forward.

 

The only exception I make to think is non-fiction reading. That truly is more of a skill issue, something that has to be developed and nurtured.

[Mom22ns]

My kids read their SL books during the school day. They aren't optional. Often ds will look at a book and think he won't like it but finds he really does. I think reading assigned lit is an important step toward being ready for college when no one gives you a choice and also an important step for broadening as a person.

 

Both of my kids have a free reading book going at all times in addition to whatever they are reading in SL. I put no restrictions on those books. Ds is reading "Reckless" by Cornelia Funk right now. I'm not sure about dd. I don't think being required to read lit books takes any of the joy out of reading their own books and sometimes it leads them to an author or style of writing they would never have found on their own.

[Lainey]

Here we read assigned reading during school, my choice. Outside of school, I require a chapter a day to be read, he gets to pick the book off of our bookshelf or the library for his recreational reading.

[Negin]

We have two different times for reading. During school work my daughter reads for a half an hour. She can choose a book from the limited selection of books on one book shelf. These would be books that a child her age should be reading according to "Honey for a Child's Heart" and the AO website for her grade. Giving her a choice from the limited books gives her a sense of control.

The other reading time is bed time, and she can read just about anything then. I have a home library built on the suggestions from "Honey for a Child's Heart". It's one book case and there are a lot to choose from. I will let her read some popular books. She just finished the last Harry Potter book and has moved back to the Percy Jackson books. Nothing about the bedtime reading is assigned or required.

Love this suggestion. :)

[brownie]

same here...right before lunch is 30 minutes assigned reading. They have a list each week to work on. During this time I listen to and read to ds5 so we can have some peace. Any other reading is their choice. They choose to read quite a bit. Brownie

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

My ds has 3 types of book readings. The ones assigned for school, the ones from his library subject list, and his personal readings.

 

The assigned school readings are books I have chosen to be read through out the school ear, between 20-25. These are picked according to reading level. Most are at reading level, but a few are under and 2-3 are more challenging. I add in classics and period books too, as well as new fiction. These will be discussed or used for writing assignments.

 

The Library subject books are books he picks out once every 3 weeks. The subject list comes from TWTM. A science book, history, poetry, folk/fairy tale, art/music, practical, and biography book are picked. He is the one doing the selecting. During the 3 weeks he can read the entire book or skim it, read selections from them, and try his hand at the practical book subject. He then journals about the book in a special notebook.

 

His personal reading is his choice. No involvement from me.

 

I don't assign specific times for ds to read except to read daily from the assigned book (usually this has a deadline on it) and the 3 week library readings. My son reads alot on his own so I don't assign any personal reading time.

[missmoe]

My children have assigned reading for history and science. These are my choice. Usually they are historical fiction.

 

I also require a book a week to be read. Every other week my kids pick the book. The other weeks they choose from a pile of books that I have choosen. I find that giving them a choice is the key. Sometimes they are intially resistant to any of my choices, but they usually end up liking something about the book.

[Abigail4476]

My kids have three areas of reading assignments:

 

1. Books that I assign throughout the year. This is required reading, and they have to fill out a book report sheet when they're done. (Usually this is just so I can ascertain whether they actually read it and understood it.) I start with a selected book list at the beginning of the year and mark them off as they finish them. I pace their reading according to their ability and according to a schedule that will allow them to finish the books by the end of the school year. They spend at least 1 hour/day on assigned reading. I set the egg timer and they mark their places when it goes off. Usually dd13 and dd15 beg for more time, and ds8 is relieved and wants to move on to something else. :D

 

2. Books associated with Literature. With my two youngest (dd13 & ds8), I skip around and choose what I feel they will find most interesting, maybe something that fits with another subject we're covering, or a piece I feel is outside of their "box." (Exposure to a different type of writing.) Even with skipping around, we tend to cover most of their Literature curriculum by the time the year is out. My oldest is in 9th grade, so she is going straight through the curriculum with no skipping, since it counts as an English credit for this year. They do Literature every day.

 

3. Free reading. In the evenings and on the weekends, my kids can read whatever they want for however long they choose. Everything from Junie B. Jones (horror of horrors! :tongue_smilie:) to those "inspirational" romance novels for which my dd15 has developed an affinity. I don't limit them. Reading is reading, IMO. The more they read, the better. In the wintertime, they read a lot--probably more than summertime, when we're actually very busy.

 

All in all, they spend 2 school hours a day on Literature and assigned reading (minimum), and they spend at least several hours per week on free reading.

[helena]

I hit the reading from 4 angles:

 

1) Free reading before and after class, I don't butt in on this.

 

2) For basic reading we take turns choosing from our home library. Choosing books from home automatically puts in a control of error, the books are all acceptable (though some are more important than others, for sure ;)).

 

For example my 12yo chose Centerburg Tales this time, so I'm looking through our more challenging books for my choice. That way she feels like she has some control over what she's reading for class, and I can make sure she's working through our reading list and is being challenged.

 

3) Reading log books. In addition to logging chapter books I have two little racks for books to be read and recorded in their reading logs: http://www.thehomeschoolshop.com/sh-reading.htm

These are books which can be read in one sitting. They're from home and from the library. The subjects range from science, history, picture books, poetry books, and fairy tales. I enjoy this one because I'm making sure they read those little well loved books and stories before they get to old to enjoy them. It's also a chance for me to sneak in supplemental reading for other subjects. This solved a real problem for me because I get tired easily from reading, and it's so gentle (quick reads) that the girls don't feel like they're inundated with reading material.

I've come to love setting out new books on Sunday evening. I see the girls on Monday morning thumbing through the racks curious to see what I've put out.

I choose the reading log books, they choose which ones they read, reading logs are done maybe 4 days a week.

 

4) Read alouds. This can be anything from chapter books to science books. Right now I'm reading The Iliad and Gulliver's Travels, and The Book of Virtues.

 

I also got to a point where I felt like the freedom I had given them wasn't bringing out the best in their choices. My 12yo was quite annoyed when she started Understood Betsy. She had just finished The 2nd Mysterious Benedict Society book, and wasn't interested in going into the past. Of course she loved it in the end :001_smile:.

She doesn't have the years, experience, and perspective that I have. Whether she like it or not, my choices have weight behind them. Even though I've chosen books that were flops, she has to respect my choices as her teacher. One time I had her read some book that she despised, so I asked her to write a scathing review in her reading log. She loved it! I've read some awesomely bad reviews of theater productions to her, so she got her chance to get it all out... and move on.

 

Off to read the other answers.. :auto:

Edited February 23, 2011 by helena

[helena]

I forgot to add one. :001_smile:

In the summer we do a reading thing where for each chapter book they read, they get to pick out a little wrapped prize from my treasure chest. :D I collect all sorted of inexpensive, but neat prizes, I choose the books (maybe 10 at a time), and add new ones in through out the summer. I choose fun books that I'm afraid will get passed over think, Gone away Lake and The Worst Witch.

Last year they made long paper chains, each link had the title and author of a read book. I put them over their beds, and eventually they had to loop them up, they got so long.

 

They're looking forward to doing it again this summer. It brought that spark of fun to the summer, and validated the fun easy books. Those are important too!

[NanceXToo]

We have an assigned book like every 3 weeks, and we always read it together. Whether I read aloud to her or she reads aloud to me or we take turns depends on our mood that day.

 

Her independent reading is her choice.

 

She's 10 and in 5th grade.

 

ETA we also choose books to read aloud together just for fun.

[sahm99]

Thank you for your answers!

 

We will start school (after a three week break) in 10 days and I will use some of your suggestions, e.g. establishing a fixed reading time as part of their school day.

I will also start to request some kind of report/summary on these books, which, I hope, will make it even clearer that this is not optional and an integral part of their school work.

 

Also, we will start TOG, which should add some more accountability.

 

...now I just have to sort it all out!:lol: