You Gotta Be the Book-Ch 2

This chapter was easier to read than the first one because i wasn't dealing with a lot of the same questions as Wilhelm was in the first chapter. However, i am still on the same page as him when it comes to a lot of his ideas about literature and teaching literature in the classroom. For instance, when he is talking about valid reading. I too believe that reading can lead to self-discovery, but only if the reader can understand what the author's intent for the story is. Some of his students gave metaphors for reading, and Wilhelm said that they fit with what Rosenblatt says about literary transaction. If students can learn to read for enjoyment, but also understand what the author is trying to get across to the readers, then that i what i take as valid reading. The readers should be able to make a personal connection, and experience the text but also not be mislead by the author's intent.
The biggest thing that Wilhelm says in this chapter that i wish to take with me into my classroom that the idea of winning three out of every five. It can be school days, students, lessons, etc. but as long as you can get three out of five, you will go somewhere. I think this is a good notion to have in the classroom because you can't reach all your students in the manor that you may wish to throughout the year, but as long as you can reach the majority, you will make a difference.
Another topic that is covered in the chapter that whole-heartedly agree with is to get students interested in a whole variety of literature. However, i don't think that this should have only been noticed through his engaged readers. I think that it would have been more effective if Wilhelm had learned this lesson from those readers who struggle, and are disinterested.