I loved reading when I was growing up. That was my go-to out-of-school activity. I didn’t play sports (no Title IX back then); our family didn’t have the means to send us to music or dance lessons; art was a stressful activity for me; and frankly, I enjoyed reading. But looking back, I realize that the books I was reading were nothing like my own life or experiences. I was an outsider, looking in on a life that was so different from mine as a fourth-generation Japanese-American girl growing up on a pineapple plantation village in Hawai`i.
Back in 2020, I wrote a blog about students being able to see themselves and to see others in the books we were reading. I wish I could tell my professor, Dr. Mary Reddin, that she made a huge difference in my life as an educator when we agreed that I would research and compile a list of multicultural books that I could read with my students. I think she already knew that very few were available for the preschoolers I taught but she wanted me to discover that for myself. That project made me much more aware, throughout my teaching career, of the need for students to see themselves and their classmates in our classroom library.
But that wasn't enough. Books also need to be "Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Doors" According to this article, "Books become sliding glass doors when readers feel transported into the world of the story and when they feel empathy for the characters." This is especially true for students in the middle grades where research shows a decline in teens who read for pleasure. (Article here.) There are other benefits as well; a recent study showed that kids who enjoy reading are better-adjusted and they tended to score higher on tests.
So why aren't our students reading more? I believe that one barrier is that many schools have decided to eliminate the librarian position as part of a cost-cutting measure or to purchase other positions. I think this has led to a decline in students reading for enjoyment. I am especially concerned for our schools here in Hawai`i where the number of trained school librarians has shrunk from 250 back in 2004 to 84 when this article was written in 2022. (Article here.)
A school librarian can be an essential resource at the school. Our librarian did so much for our school and our students and their families. (Article here) What I especially admired about her was her knowledge of the latest books that were published (I’m not sure when she found the time to read them all) as well as her awareness of what was going on in the lives of our students. She knew their interests and could recommend books she thought they might enjoy. We want students to read especially when there are many books available for them, books that can provide insight about others, books that are not just mirrors and windows, but sliding glass doors as well.
Why aren’t kids reading for pleasure? Some will blame technology or their short attention spans. That may be true, but I think another reason is that in school, teachers are focusing on the standards and test scores, and reading to students is no longer a priority. I’ve heard teachers say that there’s no time to read aloud to their kids even if it’s something they and their students love. I say that teachers need to make time if it’s something they feel is important. Stories provide an opportunity for students to listen attentively, to discuss and ask questions, to learn new words and information, to make connections to their own lives, and to enjoy quiet time. And as the research shows, students who read more actually do better on those high-stakes tests.
