How WIVA Middle School Teacher Rachel Knuese is Helping Students Rediscover the Joy of Reading 

At Wisconsin Virtual Academy (WIVA), middle school English teacher Rachel Knuese has a simple but powerful philosophy: reading should feel good. Not forced. Not a chore. Not another task on a to-do list. Just a habit that sparks curiosity, confidence, and connection. 

And thanks to a program she designed in the 2021-22 school year called the 20-for-20 Reading Challenge, her students are embracing reading in a big way. Each year since then, 75–80% of participating students report that the challenge motivates them to read more—a remarkable shift at a time when national reading engagement is steadily declining. 

But to understand why this challenge works, you need to understand the teacher behind it. 

Driven by Joy and Curiosity 

Knuese’s journey as an educator is rooted in her own love of reading. She recalls being inspired by a high school reading program and thinking, “Let me think of how I could adjust this to middle school.” What emerged was the 20-for-20 Challenge: 20 minutes of reading a day, 20 books a year. But Knuese emphasizes that the numbers aren’t the point. “The tagline to it is any reading is good reading. If you read one book, that is awesome. If you read 30 books, we celebrate it because reading is good reading, right?” 

Her approach is simple: “Truly, it’s just getting students to read. All the benefits that come from it… that’s an underlying motivation. But the real goal is just reading.” It’s this focus on enjoyment over obligation that makes Knuese’s challenge so effective. 

Creating a Culture of Reading 

Knuese believes that modeling matters. She doesn’t just ask her students to read, she reads alongside them, shares what she’s reading, and talks openly about how books make her feel. Right now, she is reading The Friend, a novel about a Great Dane whose life changes the people around him. “I know I’m going to cry at some point. That’s okay, too. That is another thing I model—how reading can make you feel.” 

And her enthusiasm is contagious. Students suggest books to her, and she adds them to her reading list. She encourages trying new genres, noting, “As readers, we sometimes get in our little pigeonholes, but because of 20-for-20, I personally have branched out to trying different things.” 

The program has been warmly received by students and parents alike. Many students report that the challenge motivates them to pick up books they might never have chosen on their own, while parents appreciate the emphasis on reading for pleasure rather than just for grades. Knuese recalls a survey response that moved her deeply: “It just felt good to have somebody care that I read.” 

A Lifelong Goal for Her Students 

Ultimately, Knuese wants her students to carry reading with them long after middle school. “The ultimate goal is to make them lifelong readers. Whether it’s 20 minutes a day or once a week. If that’s more than what they were reading previously, that’s awesome. We celebrate it.” 

Her approach is guided by the belief that reading is a gift, not a goal. Drawing from The Book Whisperer, she says, “The instructional edge goes to the teacher who sees reading as a gift, not a goal. If these kids leave my class this year and go on to read on their own for pleasure, that is a win.” 

At WIVA, Knuese is more than a teacher, she’s a mentor, a model, and a champion for the joy of reading. Through her passion and dedication, she is helping students not just improve their literacy skills but truly discover the delight of a good book. 

Want these kinds of teachers in your student’s life? See what Wisconsin Virtual Academy can offer your student.