Ep. 304 | Why Your Strict Reading Rules Are Backfiring With Dr. Sawsan Jaber

Discover how Dr. Sawsan Jaber’s Human Centered Framework helps teachers interrupt rigid classroom rules, boost student reading engagement, and build deeply connected learning spaces for every student.

Stop Punishing Kids for Reading the “Wrong” Way

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Think back to your time as a third grader. You brought a favorite comic book to school for Silent Sustained Reading, proud and ready to dive into the story. Then came the sudden halt from the front of the room: “That doesn’t count as real reading.”

It is a core memory for so many of us. In that single moment, reading transformed from an exciting adventure into a transactional chore.

Years later, many of our classrooms are still unintentionally running on those same rigid rules. We standardize literacy, police student choices, and then wonder why engagement plummets as kids get older.

The good news? We can fix it by shifting toward a Human-Centered Pedagogy Framework. This framework is the brainchild of Dr. Sawsan Jaber. In our podcast recording, she explains how you can stop accidentally killing student motivation and start building a culture where every learner feels seen. Check out the full video and audio podcasts below.

The Problem: We Standardize the Humanity Out of Learning

When we prioritize rigid rules over authentic curiosity, we send a subtle message to students: your interests do not matter here.

When a student picks up a graphic novel, a sports magazine, or an illustrated guide, they are actively engaging their minds. Dismissing those choices forces kids to disconnect from reading entirely. To reverse this trend, instructional practices must evolve from cold mechanics to deep connections that honor the whole child: their heart, mind, and place in the global community.

The Solution: Name, Notice, and Interrupt

Creating a human-centered classroom does not require throwing out your curriculum. It starts with a simple three-step reflective cycle designed to break rigid teaching habits.

1. Name

Identify the unspoken rules and systems in your classroom or district that limit student agency. Are you enforcing policies simply because “that is how it has always been done”? Call out the practice for what it is.

2. Notice

Observe how these practices impact real students. Look closely at who thrives under your current structure and, more importantly, who gets left behind or disengages. Pay attention to the subtle cues: the slouching, the fake reading, the mechanical compliance.

3. Interrupt

Take active steps to disrupt harmful habits in real time. Replace rigid requirements with choice, flexibility, and human connection.

  • Instead of: “Comic books do not count.”
  • Try: “Tell me what is happening in that panel!”
  • Instead of: Strict, narrow reading lists.
  • Try: Offering diverse formats, graphic novels, and student-selected articles.

Shifting from Mechanics to Meaning

When you interrupt outdated habits, your classroom dynamic completely transforms. Learning stops feeling like a series of compliance hoops and starts feeling like an authentic journey of self-growth.

By centering humanity over rigid metrics, you create a space where students do not just read because they have to—they read because they belong.

Taco Tuesday Reflection

Creating a human-centered space takes patience and time to simmer. Just like making authentic street tacos on a busy weeknight, you do not need a twenty-ingredient recipe to get incredible results. Keep it simple: warm up two corn tortillas, toss in your favorite seasoned protein, top with fresh cilantro and lime, and enjoy a quick meal while you reflect on small ways to interrupt old routines tomorrow.

What small classroom rule can you interrupt this week to give your students more agency?

Connect With Gabriel Carrillo

About Dr. Sawsan Jaber

Dr. Sawsan Jaber, NBCT, is an award-winning global educator, keynote speaker, and founder of Dr. Sawsan Jaber Consulting. With over 20 years of experience in leadership and equity strategy, she created the Human-Centered Pedagogy Framework to reimagine teaching around dignity, agency, and social change. A university professor and coauthor of the bestselling book Pedagogies of Voice, Dr. Jaber equips educators to dismantle systemic barriers and build inclusive, humanizing classrooms where every student thrives.

Connect With Dr. Sawsan Jaber

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