Balancing Reading with Homework & Class Novels

(Reminder: Check out our old post about pacing AR to find out more about what the middle school expectations are and how to use a pacing bookmark!)

The biggest struggles that ELA teachers hear from students are that they either “don’t have time to read” or don’t know how to read for AR and read the assigned class novel at the same time.

While we teachers never want students to be overwhelmed or dislike reading, the reality is that heavy reading is in most of their academic futures; for example, a typical high school or college student might balance several fiction, class textbook, and/or article texts every week, if not nightly. For many people, the struggle to find time for reading doesn’t get easier. Therefore, ELA teachers would rather help students learn strategies NOW to help balance reading, homework, and life.

At the moment, all of the middle school students are either currently reading a whole-class novel or are about to start one. The seventh grade students are reading A Wrinkle in Time, and the eighth grade students are getting ready to read A Christmas Carol. So here are a few time management tips to help students meet their goals, no matter what kind of reader they are.

Finding Time to Read

If your child is struggling to meet a point goal or finish a book, encourage him or her to...

1. Try page goals instead of time goals. If students try to find 30 minutes of reading daily, that strategy can backfire, especially if the student is already trying to balance homework and life. Try a page goal instead, and stick to however long it takes to get that daily number of pages finished.
2. Be realistic about the best time of day to read. Waiting until all other homework is done might not be a good idea; it can lead to reading being put on the back burner every single day. Perhaps try 30 minutes or 30 pages when the student first gets home, even if not every day.
3. Use the weekend wisely. Though some students want to “unplug” from school over the weekend, it can actually be one of the best times to get caught up on a good book, especially if homework and sports are likely to take priority on school nights.

Maximizing Your Reading Minutes

Once students DO sit down to read, they should...

1. Turn off the cell phone. Every minute spent texting or surfing cuts down on the number of minutes making progress, AND it can prohibit the brain’s ability to sink into the book and get immersed in it... not good for memory OR enjoyment!
2. Stay awake. Students should get comfortable, but not TOO comfortable, such as on a bed (unless it is actually bedtime).
3. Go someplace quiet. Just like studying, few people can truly tune out surrounding noise to read successfully.
4. Be honest about why it’s going slowly. If the book is “slow” or it’s tough to make progress, send the student to an ELA teacher. We can help uncover the real problem and give suggestions for how to fix it.

Balancing Class Novels

Reading an assigned novel, but still need to finish another book or meet other goals? He or she can...

1. Read one book at a time. Most of the time, ELA teachers WILL allow the child to exceed the page minimums on a reading schedule; students can finish the required book faster than mandated and then return to the AR book.
2. Stagger reading deadlines. If chapters 1-3 are due in the assigned novel by Tuesday, but chapters 4 and 5 aren’t due until Friday, then the student can probably strategize how to spread out chapters from both books, staggering which one will get read each day.
3. Pace both books slowly. Some readers like to read a LITTLE of both books every day, even if only 5-10 pages. It keeps the content fresh on their minds and helps them continue to feel that progress is being made, however small.
4. Take informal “notes”. One complaint is that some students have trouble balancing the characters and plots from two books at once. If that’s true for your child, then he or she can always take informal notes, on post-its or real paper, to remember what has already happened or what took place when he or she was reading last.

Bonus Tips from Former Students:

• “Read books that interest you, because you are more likely to remember the material if you take interest in the subject, but challenge yourselves sometimes and read genres you don't normally read.”
• “You really need to read at home. I used to never read at home, but this year I have, and it helps so much. I know so many people who don't read at home and it really isn't doing them any favors. Reading at home well literally change your life and make school so much easier on yourself.”
• “Try to finish a book at least every other week.”
• “Read every night for at least 20 minutes.”
• “Don’t read a book TOO fast. Reading a book too fast only results in bad AR scores, which leads to low points which could lead to not meeting your point goal.”
• “When you have free time and aren't doing anything, use your time wisely by reading.”
• “The best advice about AR is to ask Mrs. Hardin or Ms. Chiavacci. They're really helpful in finding or pacing good books.”

As always, if any student is having any type of reading trouble, the first action step should always be a discussion with an ELA teacher.

Thank you for reading!