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Circle of reading
By MICHELE MILLER, Times Staff Writer DADE CITY -- "First you learn to read the lines. Then you learn to read between the lines. Finally you learn to read beyond the lines." That prediction, given out at the beginning of the school year by Pasco High language arts teacher Kay Bonti, is ringing true for many of her students. According to students such as senior B.J. Stewart, it's all because of the weekly Literary Circles, a book club-type venture that Bonti started at the school last year. "I enjoyed it a lot," B.J. said of the weekly meetings that last year had students gathering together to delve into such selections as A Prayer for Owen Meany, Their Eyes Were Watching God and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. "It was more than reading a book for its face value. It prepared us to read beyond the lines so we could read and think on a higher level," he said. The Literary Circles proved to be a fun learning experience for students, who took on various roles and were required to design creative hats pertaining to their roles to wear during their discussions. For instance, the Illuminator, whose chore is to choose passages to be read out loud, might wear a miner's hat. Other roles includ the Illustrator, Word Watcher, Connector and Summarizer. Because, as Bonti says, "there's nothing better than a good book, good friends and good food," each week one group is required to bring a special snack to share. "You can't improve reading skills if kids aren't engaged," Bonti said. The Literary Circles, along with the funky hats and food, help do that. A great part of the success of the club has to do with the peer discussions, senior Mark Hudson said. "The eclectic voices of everyone in the group gave a variety of perspectives that I really enjoyed," he said. Especially when it came to reading something outside of his typical genre. "There were a lot of different point of views with the book selections -- minority, feminist -- that made for some good debates," Mark said. "I did like most of (the book selections). I really liked Black Boy, but I didn't like The Awakening." The mixture of contemporary and classical literature also was a boon. "One week you're reading Hamlet, and the next week you're reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," Mark said. Having faculty and adult members of the community participate in the Literary Circles also helped. "I think it's nice that teachers and adults came in," senior Micheala Sampson said. "I was sort of surprised that many had experienced the same things we have or things that the characters in the books have. It makes you think about what others have been through. It makes you think about judging people as much." Said B.J.: "To be able to debate with someone and not have them say, 'Shut up, you're wrong,' was really cool." "We're always trying to build a bond between parents, the community and school," Bonti said. "Research shows that the success of a school depends on its relationship with the community. The adults who come in often have wisdom and experience that can be added to the conversations and gives the students vantage points to view the books." This year, students in Kay Bonti's, Kelly Picone's and Michael Picone's classes will be gathering to discuss books such as Farewell to Manzanar, Waiting for the Rain, American Son and Parrot in the Oven. All the selections have a multicultural theme, Bonti said. "With all the events going on in this country, Mrs. Picone and I though it was important to bring other cultures into the classroom to not only develop respect but also a better understanding of others and our place in the world," Bonti said. "Literature is a perfect vehicle for that." Want to help?Community members willing to share one hour a week of their time are more than welcome to join the Literary Circles at Pasco High School. To volunteer, call the school at (352) 524-5400.
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From today's Pasco Times Letters |
