Saturday, May 24, 2008

Reading Interest Survey

This survey is taken directly from the Reading Interest Survey pdf file that you can locate by clicking the just mentioned link. I am providing my personal responses because it's fun, please take the survey and do it or use it with your students to get a better view of them as readers.

1. Do you like to read? Of course, I wouldn't do this blog if I didn't.

2. How much time do you spend reading? During the school year, probably 10 hours per week. During summer vacation, much more, probably 30 hours per week.

3. What are some of the books you have read lately? I read I Am the Messenger, The Little Prince, I'm reading The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford right now, and that's about it, it was a busy month.

4. Do you have a library card? How often do you use it? Yes I do. I use it probably ten times per year.

5. Do you ever get books from the school library? Well, this is cheating because I'm a teacher, but of course I do, I get dozens at a time actually. I also have my own classroom library that served my class well this year.

6. About how many books do you own? This is a two parter. Personally, for my own home collection, about 200. What I own for my classroom, as a teacher, about 400.

7. What are some books you would like to own? I'm just trying to keep up with my students interests, so whatever they're interested in. Personally, I don't TRY to own anything, I just find what's good. I'm currently looking for a couple of Holocaust related graphic novels, I'd like to own those.

8. The kind of reading I like best: History, science fiction, adventure, novels, biography, humor, mysteries.

9. Do you like to read the newspaper? Yes, I don't read it from cover to cover, but I read what stands out to me.

10. What parts of the newspaper do you like? Columnists, headlines, sports, comic strips, politics, current events, and editorials

11. What are your favorite television programs? The Office, The Simpsons, King of the Hill, Iron Chef America.

12. How much time do you spend watching television? During the school year, maybe one hour per night. During the summer, maybe a lot more.

13. What is your favorite magazine? Wired

14. Do you have a hobby? If so, what is it? Yes, reading.

15. What are the two best movies you have ever seen? The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and The Pianist.

16. Who are your favorite entertainers and/or movie stars? I've always thought that Ben Affleck was pretty cool, and that Jessica Alba was pretty pretty.

17. When you were little, did you enjoy having someone read aloud to you? Yes, I did. I still do.

18. List topics, subjects, etc. which you might like to read about: Zombie fiction, I love the stuff and can't find it. The Holocaust, I am immersed in the genre, and am always trying to find more. And any good young adult and pre-adolescent literature, for obvious reasons (it's my field).

19. What does the word 'reading' mean to you? It means more than just looking at words on a page and making sense of them. Reading means actually interacting with a text, enjoying it, wanting more of it, and becoming immersed in it. Of course, that is a classroom definition.

20. Say anything else that you would like to say about reading: Reading opens door, it changes world views, and it has the power to shape lives.

2 comments:

Gregg P said...

1. I read to learn and experience things.

2. I probably spend less than 10 hours a week reading non-professional subjects. Most are related to my hobbies so it is all good.

3. The Kite Runner-and an assortment of guide books.

4-Yes. Not as often as I would like.

5-I was a calssroom teacher for 17 years. I developed my classroom library because I felt the school library was not good enough or had a deep grade level selection.

6. At home we don't have much space so I would say I have less than 100. I don't believe in collecting things. When I was a teacher, I am sure I had between 600 and 800 books that students used as much as possible.

7. I kept a handful of my favorite books from my teaching days. Again, I like my outdoor guide books and photography books.

8. My favorite is history.

9. I read a couple of newspapers each day and I am always stopping at newspaper boxes to read the headlines.

10. I like a little bit of everything. It is a look into the culture of any given place. I particulary enjoy looking at the newspaper of a town that I am visiting. Very enlightening!

11. I don't watch television much. When I do, it is usually for a laugh. Two and a half Men and Spin City are a couple of my favorites.

12. Actually sitting and watching maybe an hour at best. My wife really likes watching TV, so it is on in the background a lot.

13. Trains Magazine I guess...don't spend much time with magazines either.

14. I have several hobbies, some of which I get paid for. Photography is one of my biggest. I enjoy hiking beyond belief which fits in well with the first. I also enjoy writing...see the first!

15. Don't ask me about movies...I just don't care!

16. I have to admit Michael J. Fox will go down as one of my favorites. You have to respect the kind of parts that Tom Hanks has been able to play through the years and Kevin Costner...I just wish I looked like him!

17. Ya, my brother read me "The Narnia series when I was a kid...very memorable.

18. Outdoors, adventure stories. I also love reading about World War II.

19-I read to learn and experience things.

20-It is entertainment once you can get past it being a "task".

Ross said...

Thanks for sharing Gregg, it's always good to hear from another reader / educator (or former educator, it's all the same).