Give the students what they want - or do they know what it is?

An article in the New York Times was one of the most emailed and commented-on this past week. A New Assignment: Pick Books You Like highlights teachers who allow students to choose their own reading material in school.

There are a few hundred comments, which are worth picking through to see different sides of the debate. I think there are some great points being made on both sides. On one hand, both good readers and those who are less enthusiastic benefit from being able to choose books they like. On the other, there is something to be said for having a shared cultural experience in school - and in our culture in general. Really, we need to make room for both ways of doing things.