Every fall there are many students who become discouraged after the summer reading test. They mostly say the same kind of thing, "I READ the book. I don't understand why I did so poorly on the test." Okay, they don't use those words, but the message is the same. And here's the deal: I believe every one of them. I believe that they read the book. I also believe that students don't often know HOW to read a text like those assigned for AP Lang. Oh, they can look at each word on every page and get a general idea of what the book is about. But they don't really engage with the text.
So, I am offering a mini-workshop. I am offering this same workshop five times during exam week. Every day during the week of June 3, students are invited to come to West 13 where I will model for you the kind of close and critical reading that is the expectation of everything you will read in AP Lang. Not one person has signed up yet. But thirteen people viewed this blog last night and so I am writing this new post in the hope that tomorrow there will be at least one name on the lists posted outside my classroom door. Every time I look at those blank pages, I am saddened.
I understand you are busy. This isn't mandatory. But I think we can avoid a lot of heartache in the fall if you are willing to take just one half hour to observe close and critical reading. I can tell you to read carefully. And you can agree to read carefully. But what does that mean? What does it look like? That is what I am eager to show you in one of the workshops.
Whadda ya say? Be the first brave person to sign up. It'll be painless, I promise.
No comments:
Post a Comment