I got to be honest, I don't care for the new Presence textbook. How is it really that much different than the one we have? There are a couple of different essays and articles? The cover looks different? I like the idea that the book includes several essays from which to choose so that we can assign reading for our students to analyze. There really are a some good essays in there that illustrate how to write some of the papers we assign and provide good material for exercising critical thought. I'm sure there are many other textbooks out there that provide the same type of material. The section at the beginning that explains critical thinking is pretty decent, but I wouldn't say it is the best explanation I've ever read. I don't think the new version is more mind-blowing. It really isn't that much different, if at all different.
Here's the problem: It doesn't matter what textbook we throw at our students, they still hate to read. I mean they are strongly adverse to even reading a paragraph of information. We can assign readings all we want, but how many of them actually read the stuff unless we assign a quiz or a paper on the reading? Unless it's in digital format, they don't want to have anything to do with it. The problem is not the textbook, it's this image-based society that we've created. At least, that's my crazy way of thinking. Literacy is just not taken serious anymore.
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I would agree with you that many students hate to read--some of them are going into fields in which reading will play little to no part. I would disagree, however, on your assumption that all students hate to read. In my classes, my students usually show a genuine interest in the readings we are discussing, and the debate sometimes gets pretty heated. Furthermore, after reviewing the freewrites on passions from my students, I noticed that many of them cited reading as a personal interest.
These students are here for a reason--to learn and obtain a piece of paper that says they mastered a field. I think it is a hasty generalization to say that all students hate reading and don't care what book is "thrown at them."
Yes, Casey. Perhaps I did go a little far using words like "all" and "thrown at them." I really don't believe that all students hate to read, but I bet if you polled the class, the majority of them would say that they don't care for it. I do sometimes speak and write in extremes and I can see how that can get miscontrued. Thanks for allowing me the chance to look back at what I said and reconsider things. I do, however, think that we do have a growing problem with interest in literacy, and to go one step further, I think that problem is compounding more than we would like to admit. It's like when you over hears someone talk about a book that was turned into a movie and the person who read the book is trying to convince the person who saw the movie to read the book. The person who saw the movie replies, "Why would I read the book? I already saw the movie." That is the attitude that I find prevalent in not all of my students but in a good majority of them. And that was the subject of my griping.
Guys, it's all a matter of taste. Well, that and the carrot in front of their noses. First, I tell my students that they can expect a quiz at any given class period where reading has been assigned. When I do give quizzes, I'm amazed that I almost always have perfect scores across the board. Second, I try to pick essays that I think the students will enjoy. This is done by asking students what stories they enjoyed reading (both this semester and last). If my students overwhelmingly did not like reading something, I drop it off of my list. Still, quizzes are a great motivator for reading.
Steve, you are absolutely right! There is a steady decline in not only literacy, but the actual desire to read as well. No matter how much you stress the importance of reading, it seems to just float right past them. It's a damned shame that they don't love reading like we do!
Tim, thanks for commenting. I have to say that I hate giving reading quizzes, but I think that it is a good tool to make sure the students are reading. I just hate the fact that we have to threaten with quizzes to ensure that they read. I admit, I don't always read what is assigned for the classes I take. But that is more of a matter of finding the time than the desire to read. I don't doubt the students abilities to read and understand texts; and yes, you are right. We do need to be picking things for them to read that are more interesting. Therein lies a problem: We can't pick stuff that everyone will like. I have to tell you, this is a tricky thing to figure out. I may have to take Kevin's approach in shocking them into learning. Good writing is good writing and value can be found in many places. It seems sad to me that it has come to this, that we have to shock them in order to get their attention. Of course, I know this doesn't apply to every student and this approach is not the only way to go about things. You have to admit, though, it is interesting to consider that preying on students' sensibilities is a decision that more and more teachers are making in order to illustrate the value of writing and to teach good writing. Look at how the envelope has been pushed in other facits of life in order to maintain the attention of people (film, music, sports indutries). What message is being sent?
In a sense I agree that it may not matter what textbook we use because many students don't enjoy reading and only do it when they know it will affect their grade in terms of a quiz or test (I admit, I didn't do most of my reading when I was an undergrad). I do, however, believe there is a better book out there for us to use to try and get our students more involved and try to get them to understand what the types of papers are they are doing.
Steve! You have to read this article from The Onion--it is so relevant to this discussion! Haha!
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/area_
eccentric_reads_entire_book
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