With evidence from Kelly Gallahger’s book “Readicide” Western High School Why Read? by Heather Gruenthal, Library Teacher With evidence from Kelly Gallahger’s book “Readicide” I’m Mrs. Gruenthal, the library teacher, and Mr. Kovac is the library technician. Mr. Kovac is like the library supervisor. He is here everyday, opens and closes the library, checks out books, and helps you find books. My job is a teaching job. I taught junior high at Lexington for 7 years before I became a Librarian. I help students use the library, and find books for assignments. We are both here to help you find what you need for school assignments or for fun. The library is a classroom, so all classroom rules apply here. We can write detentions and give referrals, but I hope I would never have to do that. You wouldn’t want to give us trouble, especially since someday, you may need to ask us for help.

“Top 10 Reading Reasons” 1. Reading is rewarding. 2. Reading builds a mature vocabulary. 3. Reading makes you a better writer. 4. Reading is hard, and “hard” is necessary. 5. Reading makes you smarter. 6. Reading prepares you for the world of work. 7. Reading is financially rewarding. 8. Reading opens the door to college and beyond. 9. Reading arms you against oppression. 10. Life 101 – Lifelong Learning.

Read or Go to Jail! In the state of California … if you don't know how to read by the end of fourth grade, the state is building you a prison cell. It knows the sad statistics: If you can't read by then, your most likely fate as an adult is to live behind bars" (Multimedia Schools, Burmark, 2001).

Reading is financially rewarding. You are being paid to attend class today – not just in cognitive stimulation and intellectual enlightenment, but in cold, hard cash. Consider the following: The average lifetime earnings for a student who does not finish high school is $936,000. The average lifetime earning for a student who does finish high school is $1,216,000. Therefore, a high school diploma is worth $280,000 ($1,216,000 minus $936,000). Four years of high school (assuming some time off for illness) amounts to 700 days of school. Therefore, students are “paid” $280,000 for 700 days of school Therefore, students earn $400 per day Therefore, students earn $66.67 to attend class each day (based on a six-period day). Students who finish college will earn a lot more per day than that. So where’s your money? Remember, plumbers, doctors, and car mechanics do not get paid until the job is finished. School is your job: finish it! (Gallagher)

Life 101 There is no instruction manual for life! There is more information than you can ever know! Find answers to important life questions Just for fun! Choose your destiny! A big part of your life right now is just figuring out who you are and what you want to be when you grow up. Books can help you with that. You can read interesting stories of other teens going through the same things as you. You can read about your future careers. The more you plan for your life, the better your life will be. Show examples and read an excerpt from a book.

Reading is your instruction manual for life! Be a life-long Learner Romance advice Family problems Choosing a school Choosing a career Buying a car A medical problem Raising a family…              You may think that reading for information is only for school, but the skills you learn in school will last your whole life. Once you learn how to find information, you can find the answers to all life’s questions. School is simply a training for the real world: getting along with others, showing up on time, meeting deadlines, reading to learn. You read every day: internet, my-space, text messaging are all reading! Reading is your instruction manual for life!

Reading makes you smarter “The quantity of books available is the best single predictor of test score performance and success in schools, and is a better predictor than socioeconomic status or parental education…access to good reading makes one a reader, and being a reader makes one smarter. How many students at MIT do you think were read to as youngsters? How many students at MIT do you think are reluctant readers?” (Terrence Paul).

Reading prepares you for the world of work. “As recently as the 1950s, twenty percent of the jobs in America were professional, twenty percent skilled, and sixty percent unskilled. In the 1990s, twenty percent of the jobs remained professional, but skilled jobs rose to sixty-plus percent while unskilled jobs fell below twenty percent.” In other words, unskilled jobs are disappearing…so you had better know how to read!