A friend posted this on facebook a few days ago (I forget who), but I just read it and YES! this is what I believe, this is what I have been talking about, and this is what I will continue to shout from rooftops and impress upon my students (and everyone else I meet).
Why reading, libraries, fiction, and imagination MATTER.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/oct/15/neil-gaiman-future-libraries-reading-daydreaming/print
Monday, October 21, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
I feel like I just wrote about this...
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/i-know-how-youre-feeling-i-read-chekhov/?ref=books&_r=0
This is a link to a really interesting NY Times article. The short version is that LITERATURE MATTERS. Reading literary fiction (as opposed to popular fiction or non-fiction) increases empathy, social perception, and emotional intelligence. The article basically supports what I was saying in my previous post. I feel vindicated :-)
Now get out there and read some literary fiction!
This is a link to a really interesting NY Times article. The short version is that LITERATURE MATTERS. Reading literary fiction (as opposed to popular fiction or non-fiction) increases empathy, social perception, and emotional intelligence. The article basically supports what I was saying in my previous post. I feel vindicated :-)
Now get out there and read some literary fiction!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Why I Read
The world can be a dark and depressing place. I can't watch the news because it scares, irritates, and depresses me. For the past two years I have been working with high school students who regularly disappoint and frustrate me (not all of them, I'm generalizing, but lying, cheating, and laziness really wear on me).
Last year, during my first year of full-time teaching, I had very little time to read for fun. I usually average about 12-13 books a year, but this past year I think my number was three by June. I definitely made up for the deficiency during summer break. I read about a book a week. Since the beginning of June, I think I have read about 25 books.
I read for many reasons. Obviously there is the aspect of escapism that comes with reading. I get to travel to different times and places and "experience" new things. I have learned a lot about different cultures, and even snippets of different languages - just from reading.
But another, and perhaps more important, reason I love to read is that it maintains my faith in humanity. People are always inspired by the strength, spirit, and heroism we see in ordinary people during extraordinary times. Remember that feeling of unity and goodwill that the nation felt post- 9/11? Remember the regret that people feel about how it takes a natural disaster or national tragedy for us to stop squabbling and just love each other? Well, I get to feel that goodwill every time I read.
I just finished reading The Rebakah Cooper trilogy by Tamora Pierce. In this series, a young girl who grew up poor in a rough part of town rose above her circumstances (with the help of a rich patron) and went into police work. She could have moved to any district she wanted, but chose to work in the rough district where she grew up. She wanted to protect the people like her (the poorest of the poor) and give a voice to the voiceless, and this personal mission was often achieved at great risk to herself.
I am currently reading The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm already in love. Tan is a beautiful writer. These stories focus on the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, and the struggles they face to understand each other. She also talks about the strength and courage these women needed to leave behind the lives they knew in China in order to pursue the promise of an uncertain future in America. It is inspiring to see them overcome tragedies, and continue having faith and working hard to achieve their dreams. I tear up during their moments of victory, when they are allowed to swell up with "humble Chinese pride."
I think reading these stories has helped and hindered me throughout my life. Perhaps I have unreasonably high expectations for humanity, my students, and especially for the people around me. I am often disappointed (and perhaps irrationally angered) by a general lack of empathy and integrity (especially academic integrity). My sister is always reminding me that life is not like books and movies. But as I mentioned previously, we see moments of human greatness, which proves that we are capable of being better. Each of us is capable of honor, courage, integrity, faith, and kindness.
So as the world continues to fall apart around us, I will bury my nose in a book where I can read about every day human achievement and maintain my faith in the potential each of us has to do great things.
Last year, during my first year of full-time teaching, I had very little time to read for fun. I usually average about 12-13 books a year, but this past year I think my number was three by June. I definitely made up for the deficiency during summer break. I read about a book a week. Since the beginning of June, I think I have read about 25 books.
I read for many reasons. Obviously there is the aspect of escapism that comes with reading. I get to travel to different times and places and "experience" new things. I have learned a lot about different cultures, and even snippets of different languages - just from reading.
But another, and perhaps more important, reason I love to read is that it maintains my faith in humanity. People are always inspired by the strength, spirit, and heroism we see in ordinary people during extraordinary times. Remember that feeling of unity and goodwill that the nation felt post- 9/11? Remember the regret that people feel about how it takes a natural disaster or national tragedy for us to stop squabbling and just love each other? Well, I get to feel that goodwill every time I read.
I just finished reading The Rebakah Cooper trilogy by Tamora Pierce. In this series, a young girl who grew up poor in a rough part of town rose above her circumstances (with the help of a rich patron) and went into police work. She could have moved to any district she wanted, but chose to work in the rough district where she grew up. She wanted to protect the people like her (the poorest of the poor) and give a voice to the voiceless, and this personal mission was often achieved at great risk to herself.
I am currently reading The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm already in love. Tan is a beautiful writer. These stories focus on the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters, and the struggles they face to understand each other. She also talks about the strength and courage these women needed to leave behind the lives they knew in China in order to pursue the promise of an uncertain future in America. It is inspiring to see them overcome tragedies, and continue having faith and working hard to achieve their dreams. I tear up during their moments of victory, when they are allowed to swell up with "humble Chinese pride."
I think reading these stories has helped and hindered me throughout my life. Perhaps I have unreasonably high expectations for humanity, my students, and especially for the people around me. I am often disappointed (and perhaps irrationally angered) by a general lack of empathy and integrity (especially academic integrity). My sister is always reminding me that life is not like books and movies. But as I mentioned previously, we see moments of human greatness, which proves that we are capable of being better. Each of us is capable of honor, courage, integrity, faith, and kindness.
So as the world continues to fall apart around us, I will bury my nose in a book where I can read about every day human achievement and maintain my faith in the potential each of us has to do great things.
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