Dear Editor:
As a college English teacher working in Hudson County, I am painfully aware of the rising disconnection of young people to reading and writing. Can you blame them? For one thing, the widespread apathy about reading and writing in our society today means there are fewer role-models in families or in the community at large to inspire young people. When overtired and overworked Americans come home exhausted, the fluffy entertainment of television is hard to resist. So students in greater numbers are arriving at school with less of an exposure to meaningful reading and writing experiences.
And for the lucky ones who happen to have an interest in reading and writing before going to school, most school systems will systematically destroy it with excessive testing, mindless drill & kill exercises, and of course, the dreaded “book report.” By the time students graduate high school, you can bet that many of them think reading and writing are dull, painful chores to be avoided at all cost. Be honest when you consider this crucial question: did school really make you love to read and write?
While we’re waiting for schools to reform, let’s lessen the apathy that surrounds reading and writing in large segments of our society by creating community-based reader’s circles and writer’s workshops. I’m inspired by the city of Chicago, which recently launched a citywide reading campaign. The idea, heartily endorsed by Mayor Daley, was for the whole city to read a book at the same time. They chose the classic “To kill a Mockingbird,” a novel with perennial themes such as racism that continues to be relevant today. Throughout the city people gathered in discussion groups to talk about the novel, or even struck up spontaneous conversations with strangers.
I’d like to propose, and be a part of, the creation of a multitude of reader’s circles and writer’s workshops for children and adults throughout Hudson County. In libraries and community centers, let people come together in a spirit of friendship to put some badly needed pleasure back into reading and writing. A reader’s circle is so simple. Once a month a group of people read a book, and then gather to discuss it. No dreadful tests. Just stimulating and thought-provoking conversation. A writer’s workshop would work in much the same way. Once a month people would gather to share a piece of writing they are particularly proud of, then brainstorming ideas of what to write about next. I could easily imagine lots of folks gladly volunteering to facilitate these groups for kids and adults: retired people, teachers, students, people with a passion to improve the world, or who just wanted to experience the connected feeling of being in such a group.
This idea was inspired by a feeling of care for those students of mine whose future intellectual growth is threatened by their lack of a healthy engagement with reading and writing. If, like me, you feel our nation’s stubbornly persistent literacy problems require new solutions, and would like to join me in an effort to boldly re-imagine how our society conceives of reading and writing, please call me at 792-0085.
There’s also a good chance that our new Governor Jim McGreevey, because he has a master’s degree in Education, is more aware than other political leaders of the actual complexities involved in the teaching of reading and writing. In an optimistic mood it’s possible to imagine him, in the fresh dawn of his new administration, nurturing such innovations and encouraging them to take root on a community level.
John Bredin