If We've Got a Prof, Why Do We Have to Read the Text Too?

Whew.  Just finished the classes.  Today was the ‘professor visits the discussion’ day.  Three sections in a row.  

The basics of the classes go thusly:  First section: some people did the readings.  Second section: A few people did the readings.  Third section: I think maybe there was one student who did some of the readings.  

Ok, I exaggerate, but that’s how it felt.  We did have a major test this week, so I expected low readership, and planned accordingly, but I wanted to keep a little reading pressure going, so I pushed them on it a bit.  Happily, the professor mentioned that he was impressed that I got so much good discussion out of the last group, “considering that nobody did the readings.”  

Now, here’s the thing, I feel guilty that they didn’t do the readings.  I think it reflects poorly on me as an instructor.  I know there’s only so much I can do, and those who never read probably aren’t going to see the light thanks to me, but I think they should.  So I still feel kinda crappy.  I’m already giving reading quizzes pretty regularly.  I’ve asked, and though they say the readings are a sometimes dull, they aren’t hard.  There should be something more I could do to get them reading, right?