English Department Chair Shares Thoughts on Summer Reading

Ms. Bengtson realizes the summer reading program is not perfect and she wants to make changes to the program. “I think summer reading is very important and we want our students to be reading over the summer,” she said. “However, I’m afraid that they aren’t reading the books we are assigning them because they aren’t interested in them. I think we need to look at ways to better encourage them to read.”

She is trying to find different ways to make summer reading more enjoyable for everyone. “I think there are a lot of things that we can do, like maybe give them a list of books to choose from. And then they can pick the three books that they want from that list.”

Ms. Bengtson also discussed the assessment given at the beginning of the semester. “Maybe a multiple choice scantron test is not the best way. We can also have a lot more discussion in class.”

To gather the opinions and ideas of students, Ms. Bengtson had the English teachers administer a survey in early September. “I want to collect data first to see if the students are reading the books, how much they are reading, and how much they are enjoying them,” she said. “And also to give the students a chance to have a voice to have their thoughts heard about summer reading.”

Once the data have been collected and reviewed, the members of the English Department will have further discussions about what changes need to be made, if any.

“We will be discussing this upcoming week at our department meeting ways to improve summer reading by making students more connected to the reading and by making it a more beneficial, valuable experience for them,” Ms. Bengtson said.

Even though the English department knows that many students want summer reading to abolished, Ms. Bengtson said, “I don’t think doing away with summer reading altogether is even an option for us because we want students to be reading over the summer. We just want to look for ways to improve it.”

Summer Reading Torture

It’s the last week of summer, the sun is out, the beach is calling your name, but you are stuck inside frantically trying to read all three of your summer reading books. This is what has happened to many Pres girls this summer and every summer since 1982.

Even though we are supposed to read our summer reading books at the beginning of the summer, most of us do not. And it’s not because we’re lazy. The few of us who decide to get a head start on reading usually forget most of the content by the time of the test. It teaches us that procrastination is something that we have to do in order to do well on it. This forces us to try to cram our three books into the last few weeks—or sometimes days—of summer.

Many Pres girls just end up going on websites like Sparknotes instead of reading because they are not able to finish reading all three books. We try any way possible to get around reading, instead of actually reading the books like the teachers want us to do. As a result, summer reading does not help with our reading literacy like the English teachers want to happen. Thus, summer reading does not help us at all.

This cramming before school starts adds to our already stressed out lives. Summer is supposed to be a time to relax and rejuvenate before school starts. We should therefore not have to stress about finishing three books and doing well on the test about them. All summer long there is a constant nagging in the back of our brain to finish reading. This makes complete relaxation almost impossible.

Our brother school, Bellarmine, acknowledged this added stress and decided to stop making their boys read books over the summer two years ago. It has improved their students’ summers and made them more productive. “It frees up more time to do more other things academically, like focusing on the SAT’s,” said Greg Kenter, a senior at Bellarmine. “As a football player, it really helps me focus on my football and what I have to do to make my team better and get better personally.”

Presentation needs to follow Bellarmine’s lead and stop forcing us to read summer reading books that adults choose for us. We are just as smart as Bellarmine and so we need to recognize that they had a brilliant idea when they decided to stop summer reading.

Teachers may argue that reading in the summer is a good thing because they want to make sure our reading skills do not diminish in the summer, but we should be able to read what we want. “As a student I didn’t actually really like summer reading,” admits teacher and Presentation alum Mrs. Rosenthal. “And it wasn’t so much that I didn’t like reading, it was the books being chosen for me. Fahrenheit 451 I remember was a book that I struggled though. They weren’t books that I typically enjoyed.”

Most of us are really busy during the school year and are not able to relax with a good book that we actually want to read. The summer is the perfect time for us to read different things that we are interested in and enjoy. Our dreams of reading whatever we want are cut short by the dreaded book list that the English department sends us.

Jennifer DeMedeiros, a junior at Presentation said, “I would rather read other books that I decide to read like more interesting books that appeal to me.”

Bellarmine students are able to read whatever they want and they take advantage of that. Kenter said, “It freed up my time a little bit more, but I kept on reading on my own. I read a book called The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.”

Even worse, when school starts the teachers announce the date that everyone has been waiting for—the summer reading test.

There are always loads of moans and groans throughout the classrooms because every Pres girl knows that the teachers only test their memories for irrelevant details instead of themes and ideas.

Mrs. Rosenthal agreed, “The stress came a week or two before school starts because I’m not a procrastinator so I typically would have tried to read the books between June and the beginning of July. And then I got to August and had to come back to school and I couldn’t remember a lot of details about the books. So even though I did read them, it might’ve appeared as if I hadn’t read them as thoroughly as I actually had because I couldn’t remember things.”

After the test is done, most teachers never do anything interesting with the books so the point of reading them is just to make Presentation look like it is a college prep school. We do not actually learn anything except all the ways to try to get out of reading these books during the summer.

Presentation needs to recognize this issue and stop making us read summer reading books that they choose for us. Summer will be a more enjoyable and relaxing time for everyone and students will read more when this extra stress is gone.

Summer Reading

Fiction

The Bronx Masquerade:Nikki Grimes-

An excellent book, even for those of you out there who are not big fans of reading. A quick collection of poems written poetry-slam style and short narrations by the characters, it tells an excellent story of high school kids in hard situations opening up to show what lies beyond the masquerade. Something anyone could enjoy.

The Book Thief:Marcus Zusak-

A book about a book lover for book lovers. Fascinatingly narrated by “death” herself, this book centers on a young girl in WWII Germany, who, with the help of her foster father, steals books and secrets away illegal books to learn to read and then share with a runaway Jew her family shelters.

Uglies:Scott Westerfield-

An excellent and easy read about a future in which the old “Rusty” society has passed away. At sixteen the “Uglies” undergo an operation involving lots of plastic surgery to make them into “Pretties,” who live across the river in what they think is a utopia. Parties every night, freedom, the ability to change your appearance through a plastic surgery operation whenever you like… what more could you ask for? But when people discover that not only is the appearance being changed, but also the mind in the “Pretty” operations, they realize that this is not as much of a utopia as was thought.

Fantasy

Harry Potter: J. K. Rowling-

It’s a classic. And you’ll understand now when your friends reference it.

Lord of the Rings:J. R. R. Tolkien-

Long, yes, but a fantastic and well-written story. Know the story behind the movies! The movies were impressive, but as in almost all cases the book is still much better and definitely worth a read.

Alanna: the First Adventure: Tamora Pierce-

For those of you wishing to be whisked away into a alternate world of swords, sorcery, adventure, and a girl disguising herself a boy to train as a knight, this is the book for you. The first of a quartet, this is a great, quick and fun read.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe:C.S. Lewis-

If you liked the movie, you will like this book (or the whole series) even more. Get the whole story, not just the bits that Hollywood liked. Also a classic, and definitely worth a read.

Ender’s Game:Orson Scott Card-

This is the kind of book you read now and will still remember years later. Many years into the future of earth, Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is an amazing child genius who is drafted into Battle School in space, to fight a future invasion by an alien race. He and his cronies who play games in Battle School and his siblings back on earth are in a position to change the world. Definitely worth a read. And if you like this, author Orson Scott Card tells the rest of the story in the many sequels.

Biography

A Child Called“It”: Dave Pelzer-

If you’re looking for an intense read, this is it. It is written by the victim of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. He was beaten and starved, and many worse things, by his alcoholic and unstable mother. He didn’t even have a name: he was called “it.” Be prepared for an intense and evocative read, though very memorable and thought-provoking.

Science Fiction

The Host:Stephanie Meyer-

Hey all you Twilight fans: have you ever heard of this book by the same author? Technically written for adults rather than for teens, as Twilight was, this book delves into a world where the alien race of “souls” are taking over Earth by taking control of the minds and bodies of humans. But when one of the humans resists her “soul,” and forces her to search for her family, the alien “soul” is forced to learn and discover herself and reconsider whether she should be there.

Maximum Ride:James Patterson-

What would it be like to have wings and fly? Find out with Maximum Ride and her family, who were grown by an illegal scientist mixing bird and human genes. They escaped the brutal scientist, and now live running from him and struggling to have a normal life. A captivating read about an epic adventure.

New Reading Club On Campus

Do you have something you’re passionate about? Do you love to play and share tips about video games, or do you enjoy sharing music with others and being introduced to new styles? Whatever it is you love to do, there are always others who share your interests. So how can you get everyone together to share an activity or interest? The best way to do so is to start a club here on campus.

In fact, any member of the student body can start a club, although there is a process one has to go through in order to make it official. If you have the drive and the determination, though, your dream club can indeed become a reality.

It turns out that about two to three new clubs are proposed each year, although only one or two actually go through the entire process. However, when people do go through the entire process, the club is almost always made official, according to Vice Principal Hernandez.

One club currently being proposed is the Reading Club, started by junior Mireille Habib.

The first step Mireille took towards making her club a reality was filling out a “Request to Organize” form. This form requires students to formalize their purpose or goal for the club, find a faculty member to moderate the club, and acquire the signatures of 15 students who would to join the club. Basically, it sets the foundation for the club, ensuring that there is both focus and interest.

For Mireille, filling out the form was not difficult. “I was able to get the fifteen signatures the first day; I really didn’t need to hunt around for people,” she said. “People seemed really into the idea.”

Once a student finishes with the form, the club is allowed to meet on a “trial-run” basis, to test the waters and see if it will work. It will also come up on the agenda at the last student council meeting, where the members of the student council will vote on whether to recommend the club to Mrs. Hernandez. If the student council votes in favor of the club, Mrs. Hernandez assigns it an official moderator and gives the club official status.

Of course, even once a club earns its official status it must meet certain requirements. All clubs must contain a community service component, although there is freedom in how a club can go about meeting that requirement. Some clubs choose to do something related to their theme, such as SEAS’ beach clean-up days, while others just go as a group to volunteer somewhere unrelated to them but still worthy.

Attendance is also an issue clubs must stay aware of. Attendance is kept track of by Mrs. Hernandez, whom club officers e-mail once a month with the attendance of their most recent meeting.

“If the club’s attendance ever drops below 15 members, I ask the club’s officers and moderator to evaluate whether or not the club should continue,” she said. “Sometimes clubs thrive for a while because a group of girls who are really passionate about that topic are here at Pres, but then the club dies out when they graduate, since no one else is interested.”

While earlier book clubs may have died out like these other special interest groups, now that interest has been returned, the book club may just make it through. Mireille Habib has filled out her form, and now she’s just waiting on the next step.

“At this point, I figure there’s not much else I can do except publicize,” she said.