When Reading is a Waste of Time

From the Desk of Amanda….

As you read the title of this blog you are probably thinking, “What?!?  An education company is writing about reading being a waste of time.  This is outrageous!”  But stay with me and I think you’ll see what I mean…

Let’s say it’s 8:30 on a Thursday night.  You worked all day, took one child to dance class and the other to soccer, cooked dinner, and put in a load of laundry.  You have a huge presentation to make at work tomorrow and your boss just emailed you more changes. Your 5 year old just finished her bath, which means there are plastic ducks, fish, princesses, water, and towels strewn all across the bathroom floor.

You’ve managed to make it through this bathroom obstacle course without an injury and are ready to tuck your little one into bed.  She looks up at you with those eyes (you know the ones I’m talking about) and pleads, “Mommy (or Daddy) can you read Cinderella to me?  Pleeeaaaasssseeee.”  You reply, “Of course sweetie,” when you are really thinking, “You really want me to read Cinderella for the 1,000^th time? When in the world will I get those changes made to my presentation?” 

You snuggle up and read every word.  You are even able to use expression while reading. (After all, you both have the book memorized.)  BUT you are not thinking about the evil stepmother, glass slippers, pumpkins, or happily ever after.  You are thinking about picking up the stuff from the bathroom floor, editing your presentation, packing lunches and whether your best suit is clean for tomorrow.  You probably won’t even remember saying the words from the text out loud.

Guess what?  When you read but aren’t really engaged in the text you are using what is called the “Waste of Time Voice”:  you are bored or confused, your thoughts stray from the text, you lose track, and/or you don’t understand.  In short, it was a waste of time because you weren’t really reading.

As adult readers, we know this happens sometimes and usually do things to “get back on track”.  Children don’t inherently know this is happening to them and so they don’t even know they should try to fix it.  They just think they aren’t good at this reading thing.  We want to teach students to use their “Thinking Voices”.  When we use our thinking voices, we are engaged with the text:

• We are asking questions
• We are creating pictures in our minds as we read
• We are talking back to the text
• We are thinking as we read

We need to model our thinking voices for young readers so they can see that reading is an active, thinking process.  So when you read Cinderella for the 1001^st time, model your thinking voice instead of your waste of time voice.  Stop a few times as you read to share what is happening in your head:

• I wonder whether Cinderella will get to go to the ball?
• I can really picture Cinderella’s face when the fairy Godmother makes that beautiful gown.  I see her with her eyes wide open and a big smile because she is so surprised and so happy.
• WOW!  Those stepsisters are awful!  I can’t believe they tore up that dress!

Using your thinking voice will make reading fun for you and your child.  It will give your child a picture of how good readers engage with a text.  And don’t worry about that mess on the bathroom floor.  It will still be there tomorrow.