Just One More Idea to Solve the Reading Problem from Rick Astley

This mother’s day I reflect on my two children. There is one thing that I worried about when they went to school. I hope they can read.

I say hope because some kids don’t.

Some kids struggle.

I know what happens to kids who can’t read and struggle.

They can give up on themselves and school.

We need to do better with these kids.

Learning disabilities are real, they are for life.

Attempting to force a student with LD to read, in the traditional way, all the time, is harmful.

It does not make sense. We have technology.

We have had technology for awhile but now there is more technology.

What happened to “Listen to Reading”?

No, not just RAZ kids. (A leveled reading program)

REAL books.

We had these listening centers when I was a beginning teacher: a “ghetto blaster” and headphones. Books on CD from Scholastic.

We have digital books now. With a library card the world of books is accessible by paper copy and digital. Digital means audio and it means full membership in the reading club, with endless choice.

I was reminded of this while reading “Tribe of Mentors” by Timothy Ferriss.  Joel McHale a stand up comedian who is dyslexic, recently signed up for Audible.com. He now listens to books all through the day, including those challenging classics that were never a possibility in High School.

A possibility…everyone should have a possibility.

So this Mother’s Day, listen. (Did you catch the clever ending to this sentence?)

Let’s think about our kids, our students, how can we get them back into reading?

As Rick Astley said, “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

He meant reading, as a nerd, I am sure he meant reading.

Love,

Coach Clark