Poor Reading Habits Start at Home

As a teacher I am fascinated by the fact that not only do I teach, but I learn as well.  My students teach me about myself and how to be a better teacher. When I am making my lesson plans I think about my students.  I ask myself “how can I make the lesson interesting or am I reaching the students?”   I also wonder how much of the information they will remember for the future.   Certain things stand out in my mind as I teach my students and talk to parents.  One thing is that my students learn their reading habits from their parents. 

I have found that if a parent does not like to read, most likely the child will not like to read.  Over and over parents admit they don’t like to read.  How can you motivate a child to read if you do not like to read?  Parents, your children may not be listening to you but they sure are watching you.  Once, at a reading conference the speaker said that kids like to be read to.  I asked if that were true for high school students.  The speaker said yes.  I started reading to my high school students and lo and behold they actually listened.  They loved it.  I still love being read to.  I also, of course, love reading.  In my house growing up we had a mountain of books in a variety of subjects.  My parents were veracious readers.  So were my brothers and sisters. 

Parents, if you want to encourage your child to read, it would help if you started the ball rolling.  Start finding things that interest you and talk about it with your children.  Also read to your children and start as young as possible.  If you can, make it a before-bedtime ritual.  Your children will enjoy the time and will remember it forever – so will you.   If there are older siblings encourage them to play word games. 

Helen Keller loved reading.  She said she would touch her parents, feel the book they were holding and feel their lips moving.  She would do this too not knowing why they were doing it.  Finally, when Anne Sullivan came and explained the process to her, Helen wanted to learn to read.  She learned braille and became an avid reader.  I tell you this is not accident.

These are just a few suggestions on this subject.  It is very interesting topic and I will  revisit this subject in the future. 

Sigrid Channer