I Hate Reading: Overcoming Shame in the Reading Classroom

It can take a lifetime to eradicate a reader's shame--or it can take one great teacher

Shame-bound readers want someone to notice them. It's true. But then what does a teacher do to help students? Justin Stygles found fresh answers in Gershen Kaufman's seminal research on shame and applied it to his teaching. The results proved to him--and now us--that taking deliberate actions to is crucial. At heart, it's about mentoring these fragile readers. Yet the beautiful surprise in store? A few shifts in classroom practices changed everything for every reader. Learn to:

• Spot all the distress signals, including withdrawal, perfectionism, sweetness
• Help students see that they are not permanently locked out of a reading life
• Use assessment instruments to note and celebrate incremental change
• Plan mini-units that develop skills in concert with engagement
• Design small group experiences that are free of levels and other shame-inducing labels