Genevieve Banning

EDU 345
Dr. Wargo
May 4, 2023
Garfield Motivation to Read
Using the Garfield Motivation to Read, from PAWS, I explored the student’s interest in reading

and the different kinds of books they may enjoy reading most. One aspect of this that made me

nervous was the student’s eagerness to put a “happy Garfield” for every category. I am unsure

how genuine this student may have been with their answers because I present myself as

enthusiastic when it comes to reading. That being said, this student would always remind me

about how much they enjoy reading and the new books they have been reading at home. Note,

the books they read at home seem to be all for enjoyment and are mostly fiction. Some examples

include Garfield books, Minions, and Harry Potter.

The first question asks about reading on a rainy Saturday. The sad Garfield was the response

because the student does not like the rain. Overall, recreational reading scored a 36/40.

Academic reading scored a 40/40. The scores combined resulted in 76% interest in reading. This

student leans more towards the excited Garfield when they think about reading. This does not

correlate with the actual behavior of the student, though. When it is time for book or computer

reading choice, the student is not eager to grab their computer. I also find that this student

struggles to find a physical book to read in the classroom. My main concern for this student is

that their love for reading may fade if their interests and reading level are not recognized in the

classroom. Many of the classroom library books are past their reading level and it seems that

technology is not their preferred way to read. This may be one question I would add to the

Garfield Inventory: “How do you feel when you read on the computer?” and “How do you feel
when you read a paperback book?”. Given the world we are in, it may be important for us to

consider the media children prefer to read from!