Teaching remedial high school readers forces me to come prepared every day with a slew of metaphors. Why, you ask? It makes sense, really. The vast majority of my struggling readers are very visual people. If you ask them about their reading habits, they will let you know right away that they broke that habit years ago and have instead followed the call of the glowing screens. When I explain something to one of my classes using a metaphor, they will frequently reply, “Oh, I see.” And they do. They are great at visualizing and making connections once they have formed a picture in their minds.
One day a few years ago when I was trying (read: failing) to explain to students, with words, how important frequent practice is to becoming a good reader, it occurred to me that I needed a metaphor. Later that same afternoon, I went for a run. I’ll admit, it had been a few weeks since I had gone for a run, so it was rough going. I was winded, my legs felt tired, and it was completely unenjoyable. Completely. As I was jogging slowly uphill scowling at oncoming traffic, it hit me: this is what it feels like for my kids who struggle with reading when they are faced with a reading task. The realization jolted me awake and a surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins. I’d like to say I turned on the speed and coasted comfortably through the rest of my run, but the adrenaline kick fizzled out about 30 seconds later and I ended up walking the rest of the way. But it didn’t matter: I had my metaphor.
In class the next day, I would compare reading to long-distance running and share with them my own story. It was only in the last few years that I became a runner. I had tried to start running several times in years past and failed each time because it was really hard to get started. Anyone who runs knows that building up enough endurance and strength to be able to run first one straight mile, then two, then three, requires sheer effort and the willpower to keep going back out to run day after day, farther and farther.
Two years ago, I finally did it. I ran a minimum of 3 days per week and increased my mileage slowly each time until I could run 3-4 miles without stopping. Once I got to that point, running started to become fun. In the past, I laughed as I drove by “those crazy runners” who would brave rain, snow, sleet, and even hail to go for a jog. What were they thinking? Now I knew! Running wasn’t just a great way to stay in shape—it was something I truly wanted to do, and I didn’t want to miss a day of it.
I chose new and exciting routes and didn’t have to worry about whether or not I could make it all the way. I began to experiment with speed and challenges like hills and different terrains. Over time, I found I could run longer and farther, and I was truly enjoying running. I even missed running if there were a few days in a row when I couldn’t get out to do it.
The metaphor hit home with my students. They were coming up with connections between reading and running that hadn’t even occurred to me. Many of my students shared that they viewed reading as hard, or even painful. Still others said it was boring and not worth the effort (I used to think the same thing about running). However, I explained, if they would push through the initial discomfort, they would find that reading becomes easier and smoother, and they would become more capable of reading a variety of genres, and at higher and higher reading levels. And that’s how I’ve seen it work. The more frequently they read, the more frequently they want to read. And, if they keep it up, over time they will come to enjoy it and miss it if they go too long without picking up a book.
I’ve seen it happen time and time again. Some of those same kids who a few years ago were laughing at “that crazy reader” (me!) who had her nose in a great book while standing in the hallway between classes have now built up the endurance and skills to become avid readers. I know because they stop by my room to ask me if I’ve read the latest book in the Hunger Games series or the new Sharon Draper novel. I know because I see them carrying novels—that aren’t required by their English teacher—around with them in the hallways. I know because they tell me how much better they are able to handle their textbook reading assignments for social studies and science.
Whether or not they maintain their reading endurance will be up to them. The desire to read, just like the desire to run, can wane when life gets in the way (No time! No energy! No fun!). When those times come, they will hopefully remember the reading-running metaphor and push through to re-establish the habits they worked so hard to form. Which reminds me, it’s been two weeks since I’ve gone for a run. Time to put down Hunger Games and hit the pavement.
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