Another Most Read for 2014: Readicide by Kelly Gallagher.

I know some of you may have read my post from yesterday, but for those who missed it bear with me here, there is a reason I have posted a portion of it again today...

After allowing the new year to get a foothold, I've been doing some thinking, this thinking usually takes place when my children are napping, I decided, after some careful reflection, to pick a theme for 2014.  This idea came about after taking a hard look at my rather lengthy To Be Read (TBR) Pile.  After an analysis of the various and sundry titles, I discovered that a huge number of the books that lay waiting for me to read them had a connection, and that connection had to do with means by which I might change or improve.  Thus, the theme that I decided on is based on this revelation is BECOMING.  What does that mean exactly?  Well, I'm looking for methodologies/teachings that I can incorporate in my life to become the best parent, teacher, blogger, etc. that I can be--in other words, I'm looking for new concepts/ideas to improve in each of the roles I have taken on in my life.

It was not until after I had posted this reflection yesterday that I discovered One Little Word℠.  Thanks to Book Journey  and Sophisticated Dorkiness for making me aware of this long standing tradition, I had no idea existed.  It looks like what I thought of as an original idea is a big misnomer.  After reading up on  One Little Word℠,  I decided to join the group.  So, look for this idea of BECOMING to be a continuous thread throughout the years posting.

And, to that end, here is another reading suggestion for all those educators and parents out there who might be looking for ideas that will help them guide their child's reading development.  Readicide by Kelly Gallagher, "...provides teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators with specific steps to reverse the downward spiral in reading—steps that will help prevent the loss of another generation of readers."  Read the summary below and let us know if this is a book that might help you BECOME a reading advocate in someone's life in 2014!





Summary:

Readicide by Kelly Gallagher

Read-i-cide n: The systematic killing of the love of reading, often exacerbated by the inane, mind-numbing practices found in schools. Reading is dying in our schools. Educators are familiar with many of the factors that have contributed to the decline—poverty, second-language issues, and the ever-expanding choices of electronic entertainment. In this provocative new book, Kelly Gallagher suggests, however, that it is time to recognize a new and significant contributor to the death of reading: our schools. In Readicide, Kelly argues that American schools are actively (though unwittingly) furthering the decline of reading. Specifically, he contends that the standard instructional practices used in most schools are killing reading by: · valuing the development of test-takers over the development of lifelong readers; · mandating breadth over depth in instruction; · requiring students to read difficult texts without proper instructional support; · insisting that students focus solely on academic texts; · drowning great books with sticky notes, double-entry journals, and marginalia; · ignoring the importance of developing recreational reading; and · losing sight of authentic instruction in the shadow of political pressures. Kelly doesn’t settle for only identifying the problems. Readicide provides teachers, literacy coaches, and administrators with specific steps to reverse the downward spiral in reading—steps that will help prevent the loss of another generation of readers.

 

What are your thoughts on One Little Word℠ ?  The Things You Can Read would love to hear from you, our readers.  Let us know your thoughts.  Feel free to post a comment!

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!