Blog Post 10 – Gallagher’s Readicide

            Writing this blog post is a challenge in a way that the other posts weren’t.  The reason is that I adored so much of what Gallagher wrote that it is difficult to decide passages on which to focus.  While reading it, I found I was in a state of “flow,” being “so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter” (p. 61).  What a refreshing feeling about an academic text! 

            Gallagher described about his having to learn history.  He was taught by the “sprinting-through-the-book philosophy,” being expected to memorize large numbers of dates and facts (p. 10).  The result was that it took him almost 20 years to again want to read history books.  I had similar experiences with literature in college.  I appreciated Gallagher’s explanations of over- and under-teaching because I’ve experienced both as a student.  I became sick to death with having to devour a text and regurgitate the information on a paper, again and again.  It seemed so pointless and unrealistic to life in the world.  After graduation, I entered a self-imposed readicide, not reading any book for a year.  My friend Rozee saw my struggle and kindly pointed out that I could decide to read a book for pleasure, no longer having to produce a paper on it.  I awakened from my reading fast and picked up a book.  I’ve been a voracious reader since.  I was—luckily—able to return to books through the “guidance of others” (p. 94).

            While reading Readicide, I also was able to think more deeply about my rationale for teaching my Holocaust unit.  Gallagher stated that studying Anne Frank’s (1947) The story of a young girl provides an opportunity for students to consider where genocide currently occurs in the world, “in a world they are about to inherit” (p. 67).  Reading texts like AF’s diary is a way for readers to know and learn more about the world they will—or are, in the case of adult students—take over.

             I appreciated the reminder about the strong correlation among reading, writing, and cognitive skills.

I had to smile at Gallagher’s connection between reading and skiing: “How fun would skiing be if you were required to stop every five feet and analyze your progress?” (p. 70).  I both loved and hated that being pointed out because that’s exactly what we ask of our students.  I don't want to be part of perpetuating over-teaching, but unfortunately, those kinds of activities are in my unit plan.  Frankly, my expertise is in teaching writing and grammar, so I’m not sure if I know enough about teaching literature to incorporate worthwhile activities that do not interfere with my students’ flow of reading.  I hope I can pull it all off.

            Reading provides opportunities for “’imaginative rehearsals’ for the real world” in order to “[live] a productive life as an adult” (p. 66, 79).  I think these imaginative rehearsals are especially valuable for adult students because they are currently living in the real world.  Reading provides ideas on how others have tackled life’s challenges that the readers are able to put into immediate practice.