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Why We Should Stop Teaching Whole Class Novels

WHY ARE WE STILL TEACHING WHOLE CLASS NOVELS?

In preparing for this post, I asked some of my professional colleagues at my school whether they as students did whole-class novels in school, and if so, did they actually read them as their teachers expected them to. Everyone I asked (about 6 people, so this isn’t a scientific poll) said that yes, their teachers did teach whole-class novels. Maybe I work with a bunch of miscreants, but not one of them said they read actually their teacher-assigned whole-class novels.

Now, I know my school poll isn’t scientific and only includes a handful of people. But all of these people are professional teachers. We all went to university and hold at least one Master’s Degree. We are not strangers to completing our assignments and doing what we need to do to achieve good grades.

So, if we didn’t read the whole-class novels, what makes us as teachers think our students–far too many of whom are apathetic or frustrated by school–are doing their whole-class reading? What are they getting out of those weeks of “teaching a novel” if they aren’t bothering (or maybe not able to) to read it? What did we get out of it when we were in school?

Why, after generations of students who fake-read their whole-class novels, are we still teaching this way? Well, I think it’s due to many factors:

  • We don’t question it. This is why I did it as an English teacher. It was what everyone else did and the way I was taught. It did not really occur to me to allow self-selection.
  • It’s different. A teacher interested in 100% student self-selection would have to revamp her teaching methods to suit self-selection.
  • School or department resistance. It isn’t easy when you are the only one who wants to do something different. Sometimes, you are not allowed to stray from what the English Department or school district wants to do. In some schools, everyone has to teach the same material at the same time. Even if you are allowed to do it your own way, you’ll probably be planning it on your own.
  • Lack of control over assessment of student-selected novels. If a teacher has 32 students in his English class, how can he make a test to fit all the different books they are reading? How can he have a class discussion of the theme of “home” if not all of the students’ books might have that theme?
  • Lack of trust that students will self-select “appropriate” materials to read. Should we allow them to read graphic novels for English class? (yes) Should we allow them to read magazines or picture books or books that are not on grade-level? (also, yes) The more students enjoy reading–any kind of reading–the more they will choose to read.
  • The belief that “everyone” should read whatever book. I feel this way about Palacio’s Wonder, that the world would be a better place if “everyone” read it. But to force everyone to read it regardless of reading level, maturity, or interest? Students won’t revel in the awesomeness of Wonder if, by being forced to read it, they learn to hate it.

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