The Future of Reading

Today an article about The Future of Reading is at the top of the New York Times most e-mailed list. The article tells the story of teachers who have taken the radical, unheard—of step of letting their students select books that they actually want to read.

On the one hand it’s an inspiring story of new education methods that excited teachers, students, and parents, and resulted in measurable improvements in reading scores.

On the other hand, it’s a bit depressing. Without the unerring confidence of the principal and the dedication of a teacher who spent $1000 out of her own pocket to fund the program, the project would never have happened. Letting students’ reading habits follow their interests seems like a very basic solution to the challenge of students who are averse to reading. In fact, it’s one that was practiced when I was in school and had been practiced long before that.

Books should be fun, rewarding, and hard to put down, and we shouldn’t be ashamed to admit it. Reading in school shouldn’t be about indoctrination, a one-size fits all canon, or demonstrating the moral superiority of books with a more literary slant.

It should be about reading and using whatever tools it takes to get there.

This seems an appropriate note on which to start this blog. My goal is two-fold:

1. Create a database of reviews of some of the best books for boys, along with detailed discussion of how they work and why. I will attempt to be equal opportunity, looking at both new releases and classics.
2. Explore a thorny and complex issue: why are many students, especially boys, tuning out of reading and school in general? What is the proper use for materials that are engaging—video games, music, adventure books—and how do we harness those tools to make education worthwhile.

My intention is that this should be useful for a broad audience—anyone interested in the subject matter, either for themselves or for others. My focus will be on books for middle grade and young adult audiences—basically ages 8 to 18.

Evolution is inevitable, but this is my starting point.