What happens when kids in school can read any book they want instead of being assigned classics like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank? Recently I read an article in the New York Times—part of a series of articles the newspaper is doing on how reading is being taught today—that points out this is a growing trend in schools.
As an example, the article focused on one teacher in a suburb of Atlanta who is letting the kids in her 7th- and 8th-grade English classes pick whatever book they like. Then the kids have to discuss the book with their teacher and with other students, and keep a journal about what they’re reading. As you might expect, some students are choosing not-so-classic books like popular chick-lit titles and the Captain Underpants series, while some others are challenging themselves with books like Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye.
My first reaction when I read about this trend was—I have to admit—dismay. What about all those classics our teachers made us read? Ones that we might never have picked up on our own? Maybe we would have found our way to them ourselves. But then again, maybe not. When my husband was in high school, David Copperfield was on the required English reading list. He loved it and it led him to other books by Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities was also required. He hated it and found it an absolute bore. I, on the other hand, loved it when I had to read it for school. So who’s to say which book will make an impact with which kid? In the end, though, I believe we’re richer for having read these types of books and for having them as shared experiences.
But as I kept reading the article, I could see that there are benefits to this trend. Some kids absolutely hate reading and this is a way to motivate them and help them see that reading can be fun. And maybe kids today, who are used to having more freedom, need a break from books that they find hard to relate to. I remember recently reading another article that talked about how many kids today have trouble relating to Holden Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye. Apparently some kids find him to be too whiney. (Boy, do I feel old!)
But as with most things in life you need a balance; I’m not a fan of extremes. And I’m relieved to learn that many educators seem to share my view. They see the advantages and drawbacks of this approach and don’t see anything wrong with offering kids choices, but within limits. In the end, I’ve decided I’m in favor of schools that are taking a combination approach, requiring some books and allowing students to pick others. But above all, whichever direction a school decides to go in, I believe it’s still the teacher who is key. A good teacher can bring classics alive. A good teacher can pick up clues to what a kid likes from the books he picks and steer him to more challenging ones.
What do you think? I’m curious to hear what your child’s school is doing. Is it taking the traditional required-reading approach? The freedom-to-pick approach? Or a combination? How is it working for your child?
There needs to be a balance in education. We can't throw out the old just because someone doesn't like it. I taught for thirteen years and had a vast array of readers. They read some books from my list and some were their selection. It worked well and I got to read some new books. 
Putting both classics/required and personal choice options on the table will make a well-rounded reader.
