S/O of Classic Illustrations: Do you require/force your kids to read certain books?

[unsinkable]

I'm thinking of independent readers of grade school age, K-8.

 

I have required my kids to read books that I think they need to know about. For example, my ds had to read Little House in the Big Woods and Farmer Boy. My dd had to read Anne of Green Gables.

 

(My dd read the whole LH series on her own, w/o my "encouragement.")

 

Once they got into them, they enjoyed them but it was a bit of a struggle at first.

Edited December 13, 2008 by unsinkable
more info

[Kris]

Kind of like a new food, I required that he "taste" them. If, after 50 pages, he didn't want to continue reading it, I let it go. When we brought him home to school, he *hated* reading. When the Calvert box arrived, not only was he not the least bit interested what was in it, I think he took major detours to get around it without having to acknowledge it was in the room.

 

Reading is still not his favorite thing to do. He doesn't read anything just for the fun of it -- and yes, this breaks my heart -- but he *does* read and will admit it isn't "that bad." :001_smile:

[Renee in NC]

I do. If I didn't, my 10yo wouldn't read anything. He liked Little House in the Big Woods, but got more from Farmer Boy when I read it to him. I got him Captains Courageous on CD so that he can be familiar with is without having to read it (yet!)

 

My now 15yo HATED reading until I made him read "My Side of the Mountain" at 11. He whined and complained through about 15 pages and then he was hooked! He read the next two in the series on his own and now reads voraciously.

[Plucky]

Yes, and I try to guide their free reading, too. My older 3 turn up their noses now at a lot of the library series fluff. I'm still working on my youngest. A little fluff is okay, but some books are just hideous that are marketed to kids.

[OceanBreeze]

I read aloud all the books I want my children exposed to. My oldest is only 9 and so someday she may pick up some on my list on her own, but until then, I read. They, of course, love it and will probably insist on being read to until they leave home. Which is fine with me. :001_smile: Maybe someday I'll require a book by saying, "We'll read this at the same time and then discuss it."

 

Jenelle

[Plucky]

I do. If I didn't, my 10yo wouldn't read anything. He liked Little House in the Big Woods, but got more from Farmer Boy when I read it to him. I got him Captains Courageous on CD so that he can be familiar with is without having to read it (yet!)

 

My now 15yo HATED reading until I made him read "My Side of the Mountain" at 11. He whined and complained through about 15 pages and then he was hooked! He read the next two in the series on his own and now reads voraciously.

 

I experienced that with my youngest son. For 6 months I encouraged him to read great books with adventures that I knew would enthrall him. He'd complain through the first few pages and then read for hours. Finally, he figured out that mom knew what she was talking about and could be trusted. He's now trying to beat his older sister through a series they are reading. She's not very happy about that but he's willing to wait until she's done with each book. LOL

[Melinda in VT]

Yes. My kids are all voracious readers, but their selections come from a very limited genre set.

 

Of course, the books I require them to read form a very small percentage of their total reading. (They also have some required reading from ps.)

[Zelda]

Yes, and I try to guide their free reading, too. My older 3 turn up their noses now at a lot of the library series fluff. I'm still working on my youngest. A little fluff is okay, but some books are just hideous that are marketed to kids.

 

Agree. My older dd isn't the voracious reader that I thought she'd be and I was distressed about that. She seemed to only like things like "Goosebumps" and "Junie B. Jones". I was still of the as-long-as-they're-reading-mindset, pre-WTM. Post-WTM I started picking what we read more carefully and guided her free-reading too.

[elegantlion]

Yes, I have collected many books from thrifts stores and sales etc. We choose from those. So while he thinks he's getting a choice, they're really all my choice anyway. :D

 

He's not a lover of books yet, but we usually rotate, I pick one, then he picks one.

[cathmom]

I haven't made them read anything. I make suggestions, I read things to them, and I leave books lying around, but they love reading so I don't need to worry about it.

[Mama Lynx]

Yes, absolutely.

 

There are books that I think are necessary for their education, and they're going to read those. One way or another.

 

For instance: If you're in my homeschool, you're going to read the Iliad. End of story. I don't care if you hate it. However, I will let you out of Moby Dick, or Don Quixote, or The Grapes of Wrath.

 

There's a list of books I consider essential and no quarter will be given. Outside of that list, I'm very flexible.

[Rhonda in TX]

DS would exist on Star Wars books if I let him. By forcing him to read better books, he has found some that he really enjoys. If he starts one and actively hates it, I let him quit at some point. Some books we will try again when he is older.

 

DD doesn't necessarily read everything I want her to read, but she does read a good variety, so I don't push it as much with her.

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

Yep. We have a huge selection of books around here. Ds can pick what he wants to read, but I'm the one who put them on the book shelf to start with. :)

[WagsWife]

My oldest is a voracious reader. She reads out of about 6 books a day.

 

~Lightning Lit selection,

~Biblioplan selection,

~Co'op Reading Perspectives selection,

~passage from either "English Lit for Boys and Girls" or "Our Young Folks Plutarch"..or "Bulfinch's Mythology",

~a selection from what we call her "Free Reading" list...it is really a list of books *I want her to read from.

~finally a book of her own choosing...even if it is "fluff" ;)

 

The books on the "Free Reading" list are books ideas I get from Veritas Press and Ambleside. The only books she really has complained about has been "King Arthur and His Knights (Howard Pyle version) and "Watership Down." Both books she gave me a hard time about at first, but by the 2nd chapter or so, she was hooked.

[Ellie]

Of course, I was much more relaxed (no one had yet thought up "classical" as a homeschool model when I started hsing) than y'all, but I did not require my dc to read anything. I read aloud to them from the books that I thought were important for them to experience. Turns out that they read many more classic books on their own when they were older.

[Apiphobic]

Yeah, I'm a tyrant. :D

[tibbyl]

I dictated which literature selections were used in our homeschool. Their after hours pleasure reading choices were their own. That said, all my kids except one did choose to read quality literature of their own accord.

[Highereducation]

We use AO so it feels like we're reading all the time - or, at least, it feels like I'm reading out loud all the time!

 

I was one of those kids with my nose buried in a book almost every minute of the day, and to my delight my dd (7) has turned out the same way.

 

The bulk of books dd chooses for free reading are from the AO free reading list. We are currently reading "The Phantom Tollbooth" together and I'm probably enjoying it as much as she is. Being that she's horse crazy and dog crazy, though, I do allow her to read as much fiction as she wants involving those topics, as long as the books are a little bit of a reach for her comprehension level (she's currently testing at a 7th grade reading level). Only recently I've run into a problem with some of the horse books involving more of a teen romance slant so I do pre-read them, but since our primary focus is on classic literature, I don't worry too much about the other stuff.

[Harriet Vane]

Yes. My kids read their own selections for free reading (a time period specifically for library books--history or science or biography in addition to their own fiction choices) and on their own time if they want to. I read selected literature to ds--he does not choose those books, I do. (Although he gives input at times.) Dd gets read to and has to do assigned reading each week as part of her literature program. That is in addition to her free reading time.

[Haiku]

No. There are so many hundreds/thousands of fabulous works of literature, there's absolutely no reason to "force" a child to read certain of them. There is no work of literature so important that a child "must" read it. If my kids didn't like a certain book, I would never force them to read it. I lived through that in school, and there's no point to it.

 

Tara

[unsinkable]

No. There are so many hundreds/thousands of fabulous works of literature, there's absolutely no reason to "force" a child to read certain of them. There is no work of literature so important that a child "must" read it. If my kids didn't like a certain book, I would never force them to read it. I lived through that in school, and there's no point to it.

 

Tara

 

Probably a stupid question, but do you ever foresee youself changing your mind as your children get older?

 

Also, being forced to read something for school is entirely different, to me anyway, from me, my children's mom and teacher, saying, "This is a wonderful book and IMO, an important book for you to read. Read through the first chapter and then we'll talk. I know you're not happy about it; let's talk about why you hate it when you're done." I have a special relationship w/my kids that teachers don't have.

 

But I'm not trying to change your mind.

Edited December 14, 2008 by unsinkable
cuz I can't write

[Susan in TN]

I have a "reading list" for each grade made up of roughly 20-35 books each. They have to read a certain number of books from that list each year, and there are about 5 from each list that they MUST read. For instance, here's the 3rd grade list:

 

A Bad Beginning (L. Snicket)

Book of Nonsense (E. Lear)

Borrowers

Charlotte's Web

Courage of Sarah Noble

Dangerous Journey

Door in the Wall

Fly Away, Fly Away…(Christina Rossetti)

Four-Story Mistake

From the Mixed-Up Files…

Gathering of Days

Ginger Pye

Harry Potter

Incredible Journey

Lion, the Witch, and…

Little House on the Prairie

Little Lord Fauntleroy

Little Princess

Misty of Chincoteague

Saturdays

Story of the Treasure Seekers

Stuart Little

Trumpet of the Swan

Twenty-One Balloons

Wind in the Willows

 

 

They must read 15 from the list and the books in bold are required. I will make adjustments according to their reading level if necessary, and if they find a really great book that's not on the list, I will consider adding it.

[Kris]

No. There are so many hundreds/thousands of fabulous works of literature, there's absolutely no reason to "force" a child to read certain of them. There is no work of literature so important that a child "must" read it.

 

:iagree:

 

This is kind of how I look at it. The list of "possibles" is so long, he'll never be able to read all of them. I'd rather he move on to something that he actually wants to read. For us, anything else is a waste of time. If he hates the book, he hates writing about it and trying to discuss it with him is like an interrogation -- exhausting for both of us.

[Carrie12345]

I don't expect it to be an issue. I certainly can't guarantee it, but I'm as confident as one can be when their oldest child is 10. ;)

 

Ds will read anything. So far, neither dd has complained about my choices, but maybe my timing. Our battles (with all 3) are more in the writing area!

[Zelda]

I have a "reading list" for each grade made up of roughly 20-35 books each. They have to read a certain number of books from that list each year, and there are about 5 from each list that they MUST read. For instance, here's the 3rd grade list:

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Fantastic list!

[Haiku]

Probably a stupid question, but do you ever foresee youself changing your mind as your children get older?

 

No.

 

I'll certainly suggest books that I think they would benefit from reading, and I will encourage them to give a book a fair shot before deciding they don't want to read it, but I will never force a child to read a book he or she dislikes.

 

Some people said, "What if your child only wants to read fluff?" Well, I won't let that happen. I will still exercise authority over what they may choose from. But to me, the original question is whether I have a predetermined list of books that my children must read, no matter what. My answer to that is no. To me, that is different from saying that my kids can read whatever they want all the time. I don't see it as, "My kid hates all good books and only wants to read Hardy Boys." I see it as, "My son doesn't like Little House, so he can read Caddie Woodlawn instead."

 

Tara

[Haiku]

I wanted to add that we have a rule in our house that our children must read/listen to on tape or cd/hear as a read-aloud any book for which they wish to see the movie. We have a 14-year-old reluctant reader, and it does motivate her to read.

 

Tara

[Aubrey]

Of course. Isn't that the definition of education?

[unsinkable]

No.

 

I'll certainly suggest books that I think they would benefit from reading, and I will encourage them to give a book a fair shot before deciding they don't want to read it, but I will never force a child to read a book he or she dislikes.

 

Some people said, "What if your child only wants to read fluff?" Well, I won't let that happen. I will still exercise authority over what they may choose from. But to me, the original question is whether I have a predetermined list of books that my children must read, no matter what. My answer to that is no. To me, that is different from saying that my kids can read whatever they want all the time. I don't see it as, "My kid hates all good books and only wants to read Hardy Boys." I see it as, "My son doesn't like Little House, so he can read Caddie Woodlawn instead."

 

Tara

 

Thanks so much for answering. I am really thinking about your opinion in this situation. I am examining my reasons for requiring certain books.

[nmoira]

Yep. We have a huge selection of books around here. Ds can pick what he wants to read, but I'm the one who put them on the book shelf to start with. :)

 

No. There are so many hundreds/thousands of fabulous works of literature, there's absolutely no reason to "force" a child to read certain of them. There is no work of literature so important that a child "must" read it. If my kids didn't like a certain book, I would never force them to read it. I lived through that in school, and there's no point to it.

 

Yup, yup, and yup.

 

I will probably make exceptions for advanced history and literature studies, though even then I'll try to offer choices when possible; in that case, if either DD were to take strong exception to a book I'd look for a reasonable substitute. Other than that, if I think DDs should hear something, I read it out loud. They are and will continue to be exposed to a broad range of style and language and will be prepared to read whatever they set their mind to. I don't think reading Dickens (for example) is as important as having the background and ability to read it should they choose.

 

Edited to emphasize:

I think there is potential to do students a grave disservice should we take a short term or checklist view of education. I see my job as preparing my children for a lifetime's adventure in learning.

Edited December 14, 2008 by nmoira

[Parrothead]

No. There are so many hundreds/thousands of fabulous works of literature, there's absolutely no reason to "force" a child to read certain of them. There is no work of literature so important that a child "must" read it. If my kids didn't like a certain book, I would never force them to read it. I lived through that in school, and there's no point to it.

 

Tara

I'm with you there. I'll suggest for school, but dd gets to choose what is interesting to her. Although I don't bring the more twaddle-type books into the house.

[unsinkable]

Yup, yup, and yup.

 

I will probably make exceptions for advanced history and literature studies, though even then I'll try to offer choices when possible; in that case, if either DD were to take strong exception to a book I'd look for a reasonable substitute. Other than that, if I think DDs should hear something, I read it out loud. They are and will continue to be exposed to a broad range of style and language and will be prepared to read whatever they set their mind to. I don't think reading Dickens (for example) is as important as having the background and ability to read it should they choose.

 

Edited to emphasize:

I think there is potential to do students a grave disservice should we take a short term or checklist view of education. I see my job as preparing my children for a lifetime's adventure in learning.

 

Can you elaborate on your emphasis? :001_smile:

 

What length of time do you consider short-term?

 

And what would the alternative be to a checklist view of education?

 

I would say that I want my kids to understand that learning is a process and that throughout their lives, they will want to learn things OR need to learn things. I want to give them the skills needed to learn without me. I think those skills could be considered a "checklist."

[Vida Winter]

I guide, not force. Many classic stories get listened to in the car when I've got a captive audience - and they love them. That being said, when twaddle finds itself in my house it *eventually* gets "lost" never to be seen again.

[joannqn]

It hasn't come up in my house yet. Of course, I'm still dealing with young children in 4th and 2nd grade. I'm very happy with their reading abilities and the fact that they enjoy reading so I let my kids read whatever they want. We do our literature studies as bedtime stories and those books are my choice.

 

I expect to require certain books to be read in the middle school and high school years. I just don't know what because I haven't looked that far ahead as far as finding curriculum.

[nmoira]

Can you elaborate on your emphasis? :001_smile:

Gladly. :D

 

What length of time do you consider short-term?

A school year, the schooling years, it depends on what we're talking about. In the context of this thread, it also matters what we mean by "force." Is there any flexibility at all in general and in the face of strenuous, reasoned objection from the child? Most of us know people who refuse to even consider reading classics because they were forced to read particular works in high school; all they learned from the experience is that they don't like "classics." I think we have to ask ourselves -- Is the specific work more important, or the child? (Shamelessly paraphrased Michael Clay Thompson.)

 

And what would the alternative be to a checklist view of education?

I see a checklist view of education as being a list of specific items (as opposed to broader goals) to be checked off on a single lane to "being educated." This is rather like losing sight of the forest for the trees, and if this were the way, all the best prep schools and college introductory humanities courses would have identical curricula. Having read Pride and Prejudice doesn't make one educated, and one can be educated without having read it. I see the goal of familiarizing the child with 19th Century language and history (so they can read Austen, the Brontës, Thackeray, et.al.) as being distinct from their being required to read a particular work.

 

I would say that I want my kids to understand that learning is a process and that throughout their lives, they will want to learn things OR need to learn things. I want to give them the skills needed to learn without me. I think those skills could be considered a "checklist."

I don't think we're on different pages here. :)

[angela in ohio]

Yes. I keep a good library of classics in our home, and I don't have anything more entertaining to do. So, it doesn't take much force. :) If they do hesitate over one, I just let htem hear me "talking it up" to someone else, and they take the bait.

 

Many books are assigned and then discussed. They are happy to have the time discussing the book with me, so they don't balk at the assignment. :)

[keptwoman]

Well force is a strong word LOL.

But yes. I expect my boys to read certain books in each year.

C reads widely and I could probably stock a bookcase and he would read his way through it so while I ask him to read things it would probably happen anyway.

J however would read and read and read the same books over and over from a very limited genre (adventure biographies) so I expect him to read about 10 books of my choice in a year. I choose really carefully and he has really enjoyed each book I have presented him with. He oftens stays up to the small hours because he couldn't put down a book he would never have picked up without me requiring him to.

 

Susan in TN I really love the way you have done a list to choose from. What a fabulous idea. I'm definitely going to use that for next year. It will help because it's so hard to narrow down the choices!

[unsinkable]

Gladly. :D

 

A school year, the schooling years, it depends on what we're talking about. In the context of this thread, it also matters what we mean by "force." Is there any flexibility at all in general and in the face of strenuous, reasoned objection from the child? Most of us know people who refuse to even consider reading classics because they were forced to read particular works in high school; all they learned from the experience is that they don't like "classics." I think we have to ask ourselves -- Is the specific work more important, or the child? (Shamelessly paraphrased Michael Clay Thompson.)

 

I see a checklist view of education as being a list of specific items (as opposed to broader goals) to be checked off on a single lane to "being educated." This is rather like losing sight of the forest for the trees, and if this were the way, all the best prep schools and college introductory humanities courses would have identical curricula. Having read Pride and Prejudice doesn't make one educated, and one can be educated without having read it. I see the goal of familiarizing the child with 19th Century language and history (so they can read Austen, the Brontës, Thackeray, et.al.) as being distinct from their being required to read a particular work.

 

I don't think we're on different pages here. :)

 

What I did to "force" my kids: told them to sit in the living room and not to move until they had read for x number of minutes. I started with 10 minutes until they really got into the books, then it was a half-hour.

 

The 3 books that I forced them to read were the ones I mentioned in my first post: Anne of Green Gables for my dd and LH in the Big Woods and Farmer Boy for my oldest ds. (Haven't done this yet w/youngest ds.)

 

I think my daughter disliked the style of the writing. She really enjoyed the story.

 

My son didn't like the details of the LH books. He would tell me he just didn't care how the Ingalls girls helped their mom or what Almanzo was wearing.

 

Considering their ages, those might have qualified as reasoned objections.

 

I am really looking at this differently now, though. I am wondering if I was selfish and really wanted them to read those particular books because the books meant so much to me. :confused:

Edited December 14, 2008 by unsinkable
added the word "mom"

[Haiku]

I am really looking at this differently now, though. I am wondering if I was selfish and really wanted them to read those particular books because the books meant so much to me. :confused:

 

From the time I was nine years old, my dad pushed me to read the book Exodus, by Leon Uris. When I was nine, a book about the creation of Israel didn't interest me at all. I didn't want to read it. Dad kept pushing. I kept resisting. Finally, when I was on vacation in Europe in my mid-20's, I read it. I loved it. I placed a trans-Atlantic call to my dad and, when he picked up the phone, I said, "Dad! I just read this amazing book and I wanted to tell you about it because I don't think you've heard of it! It's called Exodus, by Leon Uris!" :lol

 

My dad really wanted me to read that book when I was nine. I read it and enjoyed it when I was 20-something. I read it when it was time to. Would I have been better off had my dad forced me to read it when he wanted me to read it?

 

Tara