Every August, WEGO students scramble to finish forgotten assignments, review class schedules, and reconnect with friends. One thing many do not take into account is reading their assigned summer book.
For years, West Chicago Community High School’s English teachers have encouraged students to read a book over the summer. In theory, this helps students begin the school year with a fresh mind and a new topic. Yet many arrive in August with little to no knowledge of the book, which disrupts the curriculum and forces teachers to re-teach what should already be known.
An ongoing issue confronting teachers is the lack of reading or engagement with the assigned summer novels. Students show up to school without the expected background knowledge, which pushes the curriculum off schedule and requires teachers to slow down at a time when the opposite is needed. This pattern has continued for years, despite repeated reminders and expectations.
Some students argue that they simply do not have time to complete summer reading. Many say that school activities, sports conditioning, family responsibilities, and summer jobs leave little (if any) time to sit down and read. Others openly admit they do not feel motivated to try when there is no immediate grade attached.
Getting back into a routine of homework and sports can be stressful, and when expectations collide with the curriculum’s pace, that stress grows. Often, the summer book appears in only one early-semester assignment, used mainly to ease students into the year’s expectations. Because coverage is brief, it can be easy to skate by.
“I have flipped through the pages to find quotes and evidence to support my answers for the Socratic seminar,” sophomore Aubrey Silva said.
Another English 2 Enriched student echoed a common reality: “I didn’t read my book (#MurderTrending) over the summer because I didn’t have time,” the student said.
These explanations reveal a central problem: when students begin the year already behind, the entire purpose of summer reading collapses. Instead of enriching early instruction, the assignment creates frustration, delays, and extra work for teachers and students alike.
So what should change?
If summer reading is meant to give students a strong academic start, the school may need to reconsider how it is assigned, supported, and assessed. Teachers could rethink the role of the summer text, connecting it more meaningfully to early units instead of treating it as a one-off activity. Students, meanwhile, can benefit from clearer expectations and pacing guides to make the reading feel manageable rather than overwhelming.
Ultimately, summer reading should set students up for success – not start the year with confusion, stress, or incomplete work. Rethinking the system is not just reasonable; it is necessary.
