What's Your Reading Attitude?
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- 8/5/2007 |
- 10:00 am
Finger pointing is big. It might have surpassed baseball as our national pastime, especially since it takes no special talent. Anyone can do it, and apparently most people are. Education is an active arena for finger pointing, that's for sure. But parents, this article is about you. Read it only if you're prepared to point the finger at yourself...
Sure, there have been failures in the educational systems of America. But too many parents have an itchy trigger finger as they clamor for a system that's perfect. Perfect, in case you're wondering, often means any system which requires the parent to assume no responsibility whatsoever for their child's intellectual development. Of course, we're not talking about you; it's all those other parents.
I often look for the subtle influences on childhood education that don't garner the attention of editorial writers or television pundits. Many of these influences are like gravitational objects in space: you might not realize it, but they are warping the space around them.
One of those elements is your reading attitude. Now, before you write this off as unimportant ("What does MY attitude have to do with Ashley's reading?"), consider the power that parents wield in almost every component of their child's growth.
Religion is a prime example. (Don't freak out, we won't dwell on this.) The majority of people raised in a particular faith will adopt that faith as their own. They are enveloped in that faith for years, and almost by osmosis it becomes their own.
Sports - which is practically a religion for some folks - works the same way. If Justin grows up with parents who worship the Yankees, he's very likely to become a Yankees fan himself.
Do you love country music, and have it playing in the house all the time? It's likely that little Amanda will, at the very least, grow up with a soft spot for country.
Educational attitudes are no different. We rail at the schools for not teaching our kids to read, and yet in the home environment there is often no support system. I'm not talking about simply reading a few Dr. Seuss books to Justin and Ashley when they're four years old. As they grow and mature, what is your attitude toward reading?
Do you read at home? I don't mean People Magazine, or the on-screen tv listings. Do you show a healthy respect for literature? When any discussion of reading comes up, do you laughingly claim "I haven't read a book since high school," as if it's some badge of honor?
Kids are scary-smart. If you approach education and reading as a chore, or an assignment that you dreaded in school, then they will likely form an opinion that hardens like concrete. Then, of course, the finger-pointing is trained upon the teachers, who are not equipped to jackhammer through that environmental bias. Too many parents instill - even subconsciously - an attitude that will color an otherwise receptive student, morphing them, altering their willingness to learn and grow.
Parents are a powerful force in the evolution of their children. Attitudes, whether about religion, sports, music, or reading, have a profound impact on young minds. Rather than being quick to point a finger at schools or administrators, check first to see if your own gravitational effect has thrown Justin off course.
