We put a lot of emphasis on reading today with our summer book clubs, "Read 50 Books and Win a Prize" clubs, and the general encouragement of literacy.
Yet, in spite of this our literacy rates are decreasing and 86% of children do not enjoy reading. Reading is something children have learned to equate with "boring" school work, which is tragic given that reading is the key to a first-rate education.
The question that we should be asking is why do we place so much value on reading but fail to raise a country of readers?
“A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.”
Mark Twain's quote is very telling but not quite accurate. There is a difference in one who can read but doesn't.
He has a choice.
Why are children choosing not to read?
Allow me to propose four possible reasons:
The children are not raised in environments where the people who influence them are reading such as parents and older siblings. If no adults in the home are reading on a regular basis, your children won't think too often about picking up a book.
Children are exposed to multimedia far too soon, and they develop a screen habit long before they develop a good reading habit. Screens have a magnetic pull on our children's time and attention, as much as they do on our own. It's difficult for us to pull away from them, and it's impossible for your child.
When children are taught to read too early, as they are in most schools today, it can become frustrating and, in some cases, even a humiliating experience for them. Before they have a chance to learn to love reading, they have learned to hate it.
Children who grow up reading silly literature, such as the Andy Griffith series, will never learn to read a challenging book—a serious book that they will benefit from reading. They won't develop the familiarity with the syntax, nor will they have the vocabulary required to understand intelligent writing. Eventually they tire of the silly stuff and that’s that.
How then can the great writers of our past entice our children into the world of thoughts, ideas, and meaning?
“You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them. ”
The great writer can neither entice or influence them; it’s up to us to invite them into the world of quality literature; literature that will have a positive impact on the quality of their lives.
Maybe you were never taught to enjoy reading? It is never too late to learn to enjoy it, because reading speaks to our desire to “know”; a desire we all came into the world with. For many, it gets socialized out of us by a school system that excels in producing mediocre people.
It takes effort to rise above the low standards set for us, but it is very much possible. If you are homeschooling, it’s critical that you make the effort. You are the teacher of your children, and a teacher’s primary role is to love what they teach, so they can impart this love to their students.
And when it comes to teaching your child to read, it should be treated with the utmost care. It's not difficult to learn how to teach a child to read, in fact, it’s very easy.
If mothers took this task on themselves and set an example of reading in the home, they would have a much better chance of raising a reader, especially since the schools have failed.
Don’t miss our free download, 10 Books Every Well-Educated Child Should Read.
When you join the Smart Homeschooler Academy online course for parents, Liz will share her 6-step framework for homeschooling brighter, happier, engaged kids who can get into the top 20 colleges and excel in their personal and professional lives.
Teach your child to read before sending him to school! Learn more about Liz's unique course to raise a serious reader, How to Teach Your Child to Read and Raise a Child Who Loves to Read.
For parents of younger children, who are concerned that their children develop well physically, emotionally, neurologically (brain), and intellectually, start with Liz’s original online course, Raise Your Child to Thrive in Life and Excel in Learning.
Elizabeth Y. Hanson is a homeschooling thought-leader and the founder of Smart Homeschooler.
As an Educator, Homeschool Emerita, Writer, and Love and Leadership Certified Parenting Coach, she has 23 years of experience working in education.
Developing a comprehensive understanding of how to raise and educate a child, based on tradition and modern research, Liz devotes her time to helping parents to get it right.
Liz is available for one-on-one consultations as needed.
"I know Elizabeth Y. Hanson as a remarkably intelligent, highly sensitive woman with a moral nature and deep insight into differences between schooling and education. Elizabeth's mastery of current educational difficulties is a testimony to her comprehensive understanding of the competing worlds of schooling and education. She has a good heart and a good head. What more can I say?”
—John Taylor Gatto Distinguished educator, public speaker, and best-selling author of Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling
