Dear Parent
or Guardian,
One of my main goals is to
establish a reading habit in the busy lives of all of my students. I am hoping that we can work together to
recapture the pleasure and passion of reading within your child. This letter is long, but so important. Please take the time to read this and
understand my approach to independent reading before signing.
The best books challenge our
beliefs by helping us see things through different eyes—they allow us to live a
different life. For instance, The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, was
very popular last year, but it is about a girl growing up during World War
II. Although my students did not grow up
during this time period, by reading this book they are able to better
understand the fears and struggles of a young adult growing up during this very
difficult time in history.
I will not know the details of
every book that students read this year, and I will not remember the details of
every book I recommend to students. What
I want for all my students is for them to always be reading something that they
want to read. This has tremendous benefits. Such as:
· Reading Relieves Stress. High School is a stressful time for
students. Reading takes you out of the
present and into another place and time; it is a perfect escape.
· Reading Builds Stamina
to prepare students for college and career readiness.
· Reading Expands Vocabulary. The more
students read the more unknown words they come into contact with in
context. The more unknown words they
become familiar with the better vocabulary they will have.
However,
these benefits will only occur if a child is reading something they want to read. But the truth is, some of those books might
make you uncomfortable. There is a lot
of talk in the media right now saying that “students today don’t read.” I think the problem is that students are
substituting other distractions (TV, Video Games, etc.) because they feel no
passion for the book they are being told to read. In my experience, students who claim to
dislike reading will become quite passionate about reading when they find the right book. But those books may challenge your values and
you need to decide if that is ok with you.
For instance, your child may want to read Go Ask Alice, which deals with teen drug addiction, or Winter Girls, which deals with eating
disorders.
Since
choice will play such a huge role in this independent reading program, I feel
it is important that you know I will not place a tight filter on independent
reading books. However, I do respect
your role as parent or guardian and your family’s values and beliefs. So I ask that you closely monitor your
child’s choices this year. I encourage
you to help your child choose their independent reading book and to discuss
this book with them as they go.
Also,
if you are inclined, please consider donating books you no longer need to my
classroom library. One person’s trash is
another person’s treasure and the book you donate could spark a passion for
reading in one of your child’s classmates.
Now
that you have a better understanding of my independent reading expectations, I
ask that you fill in the information below. Thank you so
very much for your support. If you have
any questions do not hesitate to contact me at jgardn2@neisd.net
Sincerely,
Jasmin Gardner
