Today has been a surprisingly busy day in the shop on this quite chilly, gray, rainy Saturday, which is wonderful! We've been able to give lots of great suggestions and had great conversations with our bookies. A sweet older couple from Cambridge, England stopped in the shop.
Later this afternoon, a father approached the counter with a copy of The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, which I loved as a child, and I told him so. He kind of sighed a bit and said, "Yeah, my son wasn't allowed to read The Three Musketeers, so I had to come get him this." Both my coworker and I gave him a bit of a look. Neither of us could believe that a teacher told a student to stop reading something.
He sighed again and said, "Yeah, he's in second grade. She told him he shouldn't be reading that. But he understands it and has read it several times."
I am completely baffled by this! I mean, my head is still reeling. The fact that an educator would discourage a child from reading, not taking into account that this child has the desire to read something like this content, let alone the discipline to read something of that length. This takes me back to Matilda. This little boy needs a librarian like in Matilda, who will encourage his love of reading beyond what test scores say his reading level is. He needs a Miss Honey to challenge him and give him harder work.
It just steams me up that a teacher would say that. "No, you can't read that, it's beyond your reading level." It's amazing how dependent upon standardized testing education has become. This child is obviously not standard. He's clearly above average, and we should be encouraging his love of reading. A father shouldn't have to come in our store, sighing about reading a very good kids book that I love. I hope this little boy is still able to enjoy the Hank books, but that he also still is encouraged to read whatever he wants.
I'm beyond thankful for all the educators in my life who always, and continue to, encourage me to read beyond what I think my limits are. So I'm here to tell all the kids out there to read what you want. If you enjoy it, can comprehend it, and can get through it, you read the heck out of it. Embrace your inner Matilda. Fill up that little red wagon with the biggest books you can get your hands on and go on as many adventures as you can.
I'm beyond thankful for all the educators in my life who always, and continue to, encourage me to read beyond what I think my limits are. So I'm here to tell all the kids out there to read what you want. If you enjoy it, can comprehend it, and can get through it, you read the heck out of it. Embrace your inner Matilda. Fill up that little red wagon with the biggest books you can get your hands on and go on as many adventures as you can.
Keep on reading little Bookies,
HER
No comments:
Post a Comment