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Reading to Be Better


In a previous blog post about having a positive mindset, I referenced an article by psychologist Angela Duckworth in which she suggested that reading can make us more empathetic. That notion was reinforced this week by a short New York Times article by Tina Jordan in which she encouraged her readers to begin reading again. Her article referenced a study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that found that Americans between the ages of 15 and 54 read for an average of 10 minutes a day or less (“American Time Use Survey News Release”). My positive thought for this week’s blog revolves around what we are trying to do at Lawrence with the juniors and seniors in regards to encouraging that reading and using reading to help us develop empathy and understanding.

Mrs. Janamanchi and I started a challenge at the beginning of the school year, where our goal is to read at least 40 books each-which would be a book per week for the entire school year. We have also recruited our classes to help us read as many books as possible. In my classroom, each time a student or I finish a book a picture of that book cover is moved from the “reading” window to the “read” window. This has generated some excitement around reading and I hope we can maintain that throughout the school year. We can read traditional books, e-books, or listen via audiobooks. Often students get the feeling that listening to a book is cheating and not really reading. However, Discover Magazine recently ran a story about a study completed by the Journal of Neuroscience which measured the brain during reading and listening to a book and discovered that our brains process words in the same way for each. I am proud to have modeled the use of audiobooks through the use of apps like Libby and Learning Ally and frequently talk to the kids about the books I listen to in my car to and from school. I look forward to the learning and character building that takes place through all the reading, as well as help build a culture of more reading and critical analysis in our own way.

My English 12 classes have begun reading Wonder, while my Honors class is reading All The Light We Cannot See. Both of these novels allow the reader to really immerse themselves in the characters' lives and feel what they are going through. When we can begin to empathize with others it makes it easier to be better people and build a culture of peace and positivity rather than division. Maybe, just maybe we can help make our small corner of the world a better place through our reading. I’m excited to continue the journey.

On a personal note, I love the reading culture we have developed in our own house; my daughter and son both love to be read to, and she has even memorized a couple of books because she has listened to them so frequently. I can’t wait for her to learn how to read and continue to discover the power written words hold. I love that she already has words of literature in her head and heart that she can draw from, just like we all should. Happy Reading!

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