Originally published in TEACH Magazine, January/February 2016 Issue
By Martha Beach
It’s quiet reading time. You ask students to grab a book, take a seat, and glue their eyes to the page. All is well for about four minutes. Then two chatterboxes start whispering. The clown at the back is making fart noises. The silent one claps hands over ears and the debater starts an argument about the merits of reading at home, while the absentee slips out to check the Lost and Found for the third time this week.
None of these kids are maliciously trying to sabotage reading period. In all likelihood, they want to succeed. “If they’re not doing well, then something is getting in the way,” says Jeanne Williams, an Edmonton-based psychologist. It’s an educator’s job to find out what that block is and find a solution with the student.
Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.
