Reading For Fun: The Harsh Reality
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- 6/14/2008 |
- 10:00 am
Is it true that homework is responsible for the decline in reading for pleasure? Or is it possible that the problem is too much reality? Read all about it...
Study after study has shown that kids don't read for fun like they used to. The finger of blame often lands on the usual suspects: television, surfing the Net, and video games. But some are suggesting that another culprit might be'¦school.
This is the topic of a recent article in USA Today by Greg Toppo. The idea is that kids are buried in school work, and, in particular, homework, to the point that reading for pure enjoyment has been given the squeeze.
By nature, I'm suspicious of excuses; in my opinion we're often more anxious to lean on excuses than to fix the problem. Or, worse, we tend to assume that identifying an excuse '“ especially in the field of education '“ indemnifies us from having to fix the problem at all.
I'll let you read the article and form your own opinion. What grabbed my attention, however, was the response I received from Jen Byrne, a sixth-grade teacher in Colorado. It was her thoughtful comments that brought about one of those 'œaha'쳌 moments for me.
To paraphrase Jen's response, another possibility in the drop in pleasure reading could be the nation's infatuation with reality '“ whether we agree on the proper application with certain tv programs or not. In her experience, students are increasingly attracted to non-fiction, and less likely to show an interest in 'œstories.'쳌
I wondered about this. Kids are inundated with reality, from television programs to YouTube moments to their own center-of-the-universe mindset. Are they slowly losing their ability to absorb the concept of fiction? Do they reject make-believe as 'œfake?'쳌 Is it too important to them that everything be real?
As a writer of fiction, this obviously gives me pause. Young adults tend to take themselves far too seriously, and that seems to have escalated in the past few years. I believe it's a product of their accelerated race to grow up, to snub childish behavior at an increasingly earlier age, to behave as an adult long before they're emotionally prepared to do so.
The fact that they opt out of anything that smacks of escapism therefore shouldn't surprise us, because that's the territory of children, and it's not cool. It's yet another piece of evidence that The Big Brain Club's mission is relevant. With young adults it often seems to trickle down to image. Reading for fun equals stories, stories aren't real, and only real is cool. How sad!
I'm convinced that an appreciation of adventure, make-believe, and fun is vital to the intellectual development of a young mind. In their hurry to be adults '“ and their tunnel-vision of what's cool '“ kids are robbing themselves of an important element in their growth. As parents and educators, it's our job to encourage their occasional escape, to keep our eyes and ears open for signs that they're feeling pressure to conform to what's cool, and support their natural youthful curiosity.
And then, when the homework is completed, perhaps you'll find them buried in a book just for fun!
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Jen
October 10, 2008 6:04 am
As the teacher mentioned,I do believe that we can still encourage a healthy love of fiction in our students/children by simply sharing GREAT books with them. How often is your child/student read aloud to? My students and I share wonderful books each day. Some of my happiest memories growing up are of the family time in the evening spent doing read aloud together. Both of these opportunities allow for escapes from reality, sharing that goes beyond the books, bonding, and some creative thinking. It is always interesting to see that my students want to check out and reread the books we share together because they have enjoyed them so much. Having someone to discuss with is so important to many readers. Even adults form book clubs to chat about what they're reading so that it becomes fun. Even if we don't read aloud to our children, we need to be sharing books so we can discuss them and foster this love!
On a side note, it is interesting to see how reading a fiction book will spark further interest in non-fiction. For example, my students love hearing Dom's Galahad series read aloud. They see my passion for the books and the topic in general. Many of my students are then inclined to check out other books, both non-fiction and fiction, about space. They make some truly amazing connections between the text and people involved in the various books.
So, how do we get kids to love losing themselves in good books? First we model this love so they don't see it as a punishment. If everyone reads, it becomes an exciting thing to do. Second, we hope their teachers are sharing great literature with them while they are at school. Finally, we discuss the books and take a genuine interest in what the book is about and why it interests that particular kid.
