Jean Raya, 9th and 10th-grade Puente English and Honors English teacher, is always looking for new ways to engage students in reading books. With additional funding from his PEF Teacher Grant, the Pasadena High School teacher has developed a simple, but incredibly effective solution.
At the center of Raya’s strategy is giving students time to read during class. Ten minutes of self guided reading time at the start of class every day has led to an exponential growth in annual reading rates. Raya also encourages the kids to pick out their own books and explore the different genres that are out there. Students can also request books that they’re interested in. Where before some students would only do the required readings, now those students are eagerly finishing entire book series over the course of the school year.
“My students will read voraciously if they have high interest young adult fiction at their fingertips… Andy Suarez, a 9th grade student of mine who claims to have never finished a novel. After some book sampling in class and the school library, I was able to lead him to “Tears of a Tiger” by Sharon Draper. I give him time in class to read, and this book, his book has hooked him. I have the two sequels of the book on deck for him to read when he finishes this book. This is my goal. To reach all students, especially students who claim they do not like to read.”
-Jean Raya, PHS
Students became so eager to read during these ten minute breaks, Raya had to expand outwards to get more books for his classes. He has partnered with the Altadena Public Library to build up his classroom library with both contemporary and classic literature. The local PUSD community has been engaged as Raya has reached out to purchase used books from the community, had the books restored, and then added to the classroom library to be loved by new generations of readers.
When students become avid readers, they also become avid writers. During in-class journaling exercises, Raya’s students have created many mindful journal entries on different daily topics. From the current state of politics to matters close at home, students were inspired by the literature they’ve enjoyed to express their thoughts and feelings on a deeper level.
These student journals are an excellent launchpad for students’ larger, more polished written work. Some of the students have already shared their work at public readings held at Altadena Library alongside established poets in a series curated by Sehba Sarwar who who wears a double-hat as Altadena Poet Laureate of Community affairs and serves as PEF’s Student Engagement Manager. The second is PUSD’s Student Think Tank’s highly anticipated published anthology, The Learning Curve, a wonderful collection showcasing the writing talents of high schoolers throughout PUSD. PEF is excited about all of these ongoing projects and looks forward to sharing more information in the future.
