Boys, Boys, Boys

I chose to read the book "Reading Don't Fix No Chevys" by Michael Smith and Jeffrey Wilhelm. Teaching high school, it is evident that the majority of male students have little to no interest in reading. Enter English teacher who absolutely loves literature and reading. Simply put, I want to know how I can make reading less painful for all of my students, especially the boys.

This book had me hooked from the beginning. The Preface expl

ains the authors interest in literacy education for young men by bringing up Jimmy Santiago Baca. Baca is a now famous Chicano poet who taught himself how to read and write while serving time in prison. Did I mention that he is from New Mexico? His story is inspirational and if you have not read his book "A Place to Stand," I highly recommend it. Baca's teachers failed him when it came to literacy and he overcame it, but what about our boys that don't?

My second year teaching, I heard the words every teacher wants to hear.

"This is the first book that I have ever read," James stated proudly.

Now, great to hear but not from a Junior in high school. That was when my questioning really began. How did he get so far in school without reading a single book? I have to think that he had to have worked harder at not learning than the effort that it would have taken him to learn. I had another challenge a year later.

Our high school has adopted "Academies," where students are grouped based on interest/elective selection. In theory, if there is a class composed with students who have the same interest, the teacher has the opportunity to teach in a way that will hold their interests. Now, I had a class that was made up of students, primarily boys, that were interested in mechanics, welding, etc. and it was my duty to teach them American Literature. Whoa.

We had a lot of fun and I think that they learned a lot, in spite of themselves. What a great group of kids! But I had to wonder yet again...why do they dislike reading so much?

Now, the book. The authors wanted to study boys in school settings but they were interested in gathering a diverse group, with varying ethnicities, socioeconomic status, literacies and geographic location (to name a few). What is to come, you ask? Just wait...