By Lisa Rose
As a newer interventionist, I was excited to help high school students develop a passion for reading. I faced a formidable task: engage reluctant readers and address their needs with minimal resources for an entire 90 minutes.
Where to begin? At my disposal I had a quaint classroom library filled with donated, diverse reading materials, which I accessorized with motivational posters and colorful lanterns. I started preparing solid, teacher-directed strategies: “Today, we will summarize informational text…” Yet, I didn’t have to be an expert in reading nonverbal cues to understand what the slumped shoulders and less-than-enthusiastic responses of the students were telling me. My direct instruction and corner library ambiance were doing little to spur any excitement for reading.
Lisa Rose is an experienced educator in secondary reading intervention and holds a Master of Science in Reading. She is also an award-winning, published photographer in a local city magazine, and her scones garnered a baking competition ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair.
