I know. This first post seems totally cliche. Everybody knows by now that reading is clearly better for your intelligence and exercises your brain, while television turns you into a mindless
zombie.
Just kidding. But really. What if television did turn you into a zombie?
now why people prefer to read and how television is ruining your creativity.
You see, I love to read. A lot. I also enjoy watching television. Preferably something trashy like Cops or Dog the Bounty Hunter. But if I had to pick just one to sustain me for the rest of my life, I would give up the television in favor of books. Even though there is almost nothing better than watching Dog the bounty hunter cuss at his intended prey, mace them, and then tell him that he loves them and has a come to Jesus talk. Preferably with nachos and a coke.
But I digress. All I'm trying to say is that I do enjoy watching television, and on occasion, I think it can be productive. But nothing compares to reading. When I read, I can set up the scene in my mind. I can be the book's illustrator and I can decide what the characters look like, and how they change and grow as the book goes on. I am in charge of everything about the look and feel of the book, and I love it.
Which brings me to my next point. I know that children don't like being forced to do anything. They tend to ignore authority and rebel against advice that older people give them about liking things. But why don't schools attempt to make them understand how to love reading? Required reading doesn't cut it to me. I don't want to have to read Moby Dick and talk about the symbolism of the white whale and the evil nature of Captain Ahab. I want to read about something that I am genuinely interested in. And I know that other readers feel the same way. So while I appreciate teachers trying to force us into reading books that will increase our knowledge and that are considered classics, I think it's almost a waste of time. If we allowed students to pick books that are more suited to their tastes, I think that reading comprehension would increase in school. Especially in the younger grades.
The fact is, nobody cares about something unless they feel connected to it. Therefore, no student is going to care about reading a classic unless they are interested in it.
I think that the best option for required reading in school is more silent reading, or DEAR time. That way students can pick their own books to read, and actively engage in the story rather than sluggishly plow through it and not learn a thing.
What do you think is the best option to get students to learn? Are you worried about a zombie apocalypse? These are both extremely important questions.
I think you should program your television so that C-SPAN is the only thing that plays. Kids will have to read because it will be the only source of entertainment. Now if the zombacolpyse breaks out and everyone on the tele on C-SPAN is a zombie then I think that would be more entertaining than reading a book.
ReplyDeleteI can remember back in middle school, we had 15 minutes designated to silent reading. Many students would always seem to forget to bring a book in classes where the teacher obviously didn't care about reading. But if a teacher had a bookcase full of different types of books or would allow students to go pick a book out from the library, the students reacted more positively to reading. I think required reading is good for students, but I can see that choosing books for kids is when it becomes a problem.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the most important things in teaching a kid to enjoy reading is to allow them to choose their books.
ReplyDeleteI truly respect my mother for this, but she allowed me to read anything I wanted as a child. No censoring here. I read books about witches, pirates and of course zombies. But I was reading. That was what was important to her. If you can spark a child's interest in a book, it doesn't matter what the topic of choice is. You just have to find that first book that they can't put down. Mine was Harry Potter in first grade. Me and Harry, we were best friends.
Also, I am glad you brought up the point about zombies. I just want to point out, if you all haven't read it, the best book of all time. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Yes, it is real. And it was on the New York Times best seller list. Check it out. All you zombie or classics fans will not be disappointed.
Paige- sorry this has taken me forever to respond, but I absolutely agree with your mother's way of parenting. I think that letting your children choose what books they want to read encourages independent thinking and allows your children to become attached to reading without making them do it. I know that my mom let me read whatever I wanted, and I think that's what made me become such an avid reader.
ReplyDeleteMegan- I had DEAR time too! It was great. Especially since it normally came after math and I hated that subject more than I hated the cafeteria lunches.
Ana-C-SPAN is boring. Sorry, I mean it.