How+should+we+balance+letting+students+read+things+specific+to+curriculum+and+things+they+choose+for+leisure+during+class?

Question: How should we balance letting students read things specific to curriculum and things they choose for leisure during class?

Answer: I believe that there are going to be the obvious selected books for the Middle School curriculum that must be read for in-common readings in the Language Arts classroom. This is so that both students and teacher are able to discuss and reflect on texts that they have all read about. Because of these selected books, we should also allow students to have time to not only choose their own books but to have time in class, such as silent reading, to read things that they want to read about, not always books chosen for them. The important thing is that they are reading, period. The way to balance this is to give them options in class and to give deadlines. Allow them to choose any book to read outside the classroom or during silent reading time, but let them know when certain books are due so that they can determine how to manage their time. As long as students are not falling behind with the in class assigned readings for the curriculum, what they read during silent reading time or outside of class should be up to them.