A theory that works is altogether a miracle: it idealizes our varying observations of the world in a form so stripped down as to be kept easily in mind, permitting us to see the grubby particulars as exemplars of a general case.
I seem to remember that Valley High had a course called Reading for Pleasure as an English elective. Franklin High has a “mini” that is either named that or something similar. Have you ever seen my 1000 pages “movie” that I made about Florin’s Reading Faire? I also have a paper we presented at AERA and a poster …long ago and far away!
It’s interesting that reading for pleasure is an elective. But the fact that there is a course suggests there is some way to connect it to some version of an official curriculum. And it’s not “independent reading.” It’s part of school and has an identifiable expected outcome. It also suggests that pleasure can be taught, not simply found by happenstance or indoctrinated and called “taste.” Sustained silent reading of “your choice” gets a place at the table because it develops vocabulary and fluency. We’ve danced around it forever yet cling to a virtue curriculum.
I seem to remember that Valley High had a course called Reading for Pleasure as an English elective. Franklin High has a “mini” that is either named that or something similar. Have you ever seen my 1000 pages “movie” that I made about Florin’s Reading Faire? I also have a paper we presented at AERA and a poster …long ago and far away!
It’s interesting that reading for pleasure is an elective. But the fact that there is a course suggests there is some way to connect it to some version of an official curriculum. And it’s not “independent reading.” It’s part of school and has an identifiable expected outcome. It also suggests that pleasure can be taught, not simply found by happenstance or indoctrinated and called “taste.” Sustained silent reading of “your choice” gets a place at the table because it develops vocabulary and fluency. We’ve danced around it forever yet cling to a virtue curriculum.
Insider knowledge: it was conceived as a place for readers who already liked to read, could carry on independent reading
—in terms of choice, pace—in a space and time “on the regular.