This Week I'm Thinking About:
Why I Stink at Reading
Ok I'm an English teacher, so many people believe I should be this perfect reader that never gets it wrong. The truth is - there are many ways I stink at reading and do things that "good" readers don't do. Here's just a few.
1. I skip parts or skim. Some people think you have to read every single word. I don't. If I hit a part I find boring, instead of quitting the book all together - I skim til my interests perks up again.
2. Be ready to gasp! I read the ending of the book first. Well ok not first, but by a fourth of the way through the book I usually jump to the end and read the last page. It's always ONLY the last page regardless how long or short it is. The only book I wouldn't let myself do this for was the last Harry Potter book. I wanted it to be a suprise.
3. I can't read two or more books at once. If I try this I get the stories and characters confused. If I start a second book I always have to stop one until the other is finished.
4. If I don't know the meaning of a word or how to pronounce it I keep reading and skip it. I don't have time to leave the story to stop and check it out!
5. I don't remember names of characters. Really! I just finished I Am the Messenger, and I had to stop and really think about what the main character's name was (for the record it was Ed Kennedy). The sad part - his name was said over and over! For some reason they just don't stick with me.
6. Classics? What classics? There are so many "classics" I haven't read! Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, Wuthering Heights, East of Eden - the list goes on and on and on.
So there ya have it. I stink at reading! But here's the deal. I do one thing that over-rules all the ways I stink. I KEEP reading. I read and read and read. And to my 7th graders - that's what I try to get them to understand. They need to just keep reading. Reading will help them succeed. All those other myths about being a good reader go out the window when you just keep reading. It's when you stop reading that you really begin to stink at it :)
Now how about you - how do you stink at reading?
Awesome post. I can't believe read the ending ;)
ReplyDeleteYOU READ THE END? *gasp*
ReplyDeleteI caught my stepdaughter doing the same thing to Hunger Games and I jumped up, "NO! What are you doing?"
thanks for letting me know there are other's out there. wow.
I'll admit to being a skimmer. Description, details, I tend to skip to the action.
There are so many classics I haven't read-sometimes I feel like a bad librarian! I feel like I read really slow, even though I guess I don't since I read over 100 books a year. I have a problem of reading too many books at one time and I won't finish a book if it doesn't interest me.
ReplyDeleteI read the ending too sometimes! Though I'm trying to break that habit. I also skim, especially descriptions of countryside because I don't care that much. And there are many classics that I haven't read and probably never will.
ReplyDeleteI don't look up words I don't recognize either. Waste of time in my book (ha.ha.) And I ALWAYS forget names of characters. Unless I just finished it, I usually have to go find the name from goodreads or amazon. Kinda sad, actually.
ReplyDeleteI forget details after a book sometimes, just because I want to get on and read the next book. I'd never look at the ending in advance though!!
ReplyDeleteThat said, I occasionally flip ahead to see when the chapter ends so I can pace myself.
Great confessions!
There are so many classics I haven't read either, I totally understand. I hae "gaps" in my reading life that I am too embarassed even to think about. My "problem" is that I begin books and then don't finish them, only when I find myself, pressured -like a book club meeting- is that I make it a point to finish. But like you, I don't stop. I keep going...I surround myself with book events, other books lovers -by blogs and by clubs-etc. Thanks for a gerat post!
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ReplyDeleteWell I have disliked every classic I have ever read so I don't read much classics :P
ReplyDeleteI usually find out the word by context clues
and yes, I will admit to reading the end of books when I think my favorite character is going to die or something :)
I'm with you on the skimming. Who wants boring. I can come back later if I need to.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read enough classics either. It's just overwhelming to try to do it all.
I don't read the end unless I'm going to give up on a book.
Great post! And I'll be sure that no matter what, I keep reading!