05/15/2026
(Background: Mr. Davis' Reading Program requires students to read [hopefully] at least 400 pages each semester of a new-to-them book of their choice, interview with him one-on-one [telling the story from start to finish, blow by blow], and type a reflection in which they talk about what it was like personally for them to read the book, e.g., what they liked, what they disliked, what they'd change if they could, if they related to any situations/characters, "big ideas" it got them ruminating over, etc. The reading program is 10% of all the high school English semester grades; some students choose to skip it.)
Note from this English teacher to his Cambridge High School students (copied from Google Classroom):
"I was just reading the last reflection I'll read from one of our seniors. He mentioned that it was going to be the last one. It caught me off guard and I started crying ~ a lot. I'm going to miss him; I'm going to miss sharing this time with him.
I guess it's hard to convey what a special thing it is to go through this process with you. Some of you won't understand, but this student has sat down with me 8 times now for an interview on all or even simply half a long book. The interviews themselves, too, have been long ~ sometimes 45 minutes! ~ and I cannot say I never thought he should speed things up, but, my students: The interviews are special. Teacher and student learn *from* and *about* each other through the interview & reflection process, and it's special.
I know more about and feel more connected to the students who put their time and heart into the reading program than I do those who don't. That's just how it is. I encourage everyone to take advantage of being peacefully coerced to do something that is so meaningful despite seeming at times like it might only be menial."