Voices from the Middle - Volume 8, Issue 2, 2000

Discusses how connecting students to reading requires more than just an energetic approach. Presents a framework for reading experiences: engagement, exploration, collaboration, and individual celebration. Describes a program that gives students varied opportunities to become engaged in literature, choice in what they read, time to actually read, and chances to share their insights and discoveries.

Considers how to develop students’ passion for language and how to get them to stop and look at word choice. Defines a “gem” as a word, phrase, or sentence that is particularly remarkable or moving. Describes working with students to notice the gems, design gem journals, write their own gems, and to create future gems.

Describes a critical reading unit in which one seventh-grade class read L. Sacher’s "Holes" and three other classes read texts of their choosing along with a partner. Notes that the goal was to set up a context for the students, as readers, to experience the main character’s growth--for them to become active, independent, passionate readers.

Notes how adolescents through young adult literature begin to discover the meaning behind the words and to explore their own emotions. Describes the use of small groups and an introduction of the concept of a literacy community. Discusses a whole-class reading and response to S.E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders.”

Looks at two case examples of reader experiences, one of an 8th grader and another of a 2-year-old. Considers how to best promote reading by reading aloud in class. Presents a list of 37 highly recommended books for 8th-grade classes and a list of 11 books recommended for read-alouds.

Each article in this issue underscores the fact that to create engaged, skilled, passionate readers, we must understand that the ‘work’ in workshop applies as much to teachers as to students.

It’s a scary thing that we have been so enamored of late of the concept of zero tolerance. …It doesn’t give us the tools to deal with the self-contempt of the most wounded kids we work with, because the behavior of self-contempt, the expression of it, often requires us to spit a kid out before we can every read the message he is doing his best to deliver.

Our most powerful and progressive educational ideas are often never really tried on a widespread scale. The ideas are watered down and reified. (It’s like poorly mixed cement, it runs where is shouldn’t and then hardens.)

This column is divided into two sections. The first challenges teachers to broaden their definition of text to include electronic forms of storytelling. The second section points to online sources of information about some of the most passionate experts on language arts classroom practice.

Reviews of books for teachers that will inspire passion about reading.

Student reviewed books.

An interview with Linda Reif, the 2000 recipient of the Edwin A. Hoey Award.