Back to School

The kids in my local school district went back to school today. And while I am content to be out of the classroom for a little while, I can't help but be excited for them. Especially since I caught up with one of their English teachers at the library recently and had a great conversation about reading.

Have you ever thought about how much you actually read in a day? Signs, news, social media? We actually read an incredible amount every day. We just don't always realize it. Or, we don't really count it as reading.

When I was teaching, I always had kids tell me they hated reading. But that wasn't true. They just hadn't found what they enjoyed reading yet. Novels aren't for everyone. Sadly, over the years reading in school has become very limited. English class will expose you to fiction (short and long), poetry, and some drama. You might read some non-fiction in other classes, but text books weren't written with reading enjoyment in mind. Electives might give a few more reading options, especially if you study something journalism related. But for the most part, reading in school offers kids a very narrow selection of all the wonderful types of writing out there.

So when kids told me they hated reading, I knew that wasn't the whole truth. They just hadn't found the things they liked to read.

When I talked to the local English teacher, she had come to the same conclusion. And I think it is a conclusion that a lot of teachers are making. Reading isn't just novels. It isn't just textbooks. Reading can be blogs, magazines, instructional manuals. It can be pretty much anything really. It might take a little creativity on the teacher's part, but every child can become a reader. We just have to help them find what it is they like to read and then let at it.

To all the students starting school today, I hope this year you find what you like to read. To all the teachers, I hope you can find a way to support every students' reading choices. It might take some flexibility, but it will be worth it in the end. Reading opens up doors to education, employment, and a better life. It doesn't matter if it is Moby Dick or Popular Mechanics.