My experience says that independent reading programs don’t work well unless students approach what researchers call “voluminous reading.” There’s simply not enough time in school for students to complete the 10, 20, perhaps 40 books a year necessary to transform into avid readers.
That’s why a core tenet of the Kindle Classroom Project is to let students take their Kindles home and to request books whenever they like. The KCP believes that young people should be able to read what they like, wherever and whenever they like.
This Thanksgiving break, it’s clear that students are taking advantage of this 24/7 access to reading. The book requests are streaming in, and it’s an honor to fulfill them. Here’s a taste of what students are reading this long weekend.
– Ninth grader Ricardo (Oakland, CA) is reading Library of Souls, by Ransom Riggs.
– Eleventh grader Carlos (Oakland, CA) is reading It Calls You Back, by Luis Rodriguez.
– Tenth grader Paulina (Oakland, CA) is reading Bronxwood, by Coe Booth.
– Twelfth grader Monica (Oakland, CA) is reading We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart.
I wish Ricardo, Carlos, Paulina, Monica, and all 900 KCP students a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend of reading and relaxation. Thank you also to the generous supporters who have helped the program grow by leaps and bounds in 2016.