Reading at the Heart of Education and Learning
By reading we read — and this is true. Reading is the heart of education; the knowledge of almost every subject in school flows from reading. It is arguably the single most important social factor in any society.
"By reading we read" — and this is true. We also learn to write by writing. The more practice children get, the better they become. There is the classic saying: Practice makes a man perfect!
With persistence, one can cut the hardest rock with the softest rope — and with practice the heaviest brain likewise becomes sharp. Only if you read will you become good at whatever you want to learn. In today's world, where attention spans are being reduced to split seconds, the ability to read and comprehend tends to get lost.
Having had the honour and privilege of running one of India's premiere bookstores, there is not a day when I have not had a parent or an individual requesting help to guide their child to start reading books.
Reading Is the Foundation
Reading is the heart of education. The knowledge of almost every subject in school flows from reading. One must be able to read the word problem in mathematics in order to understand it. If you cannot read the science or social studies chapter, you cannot answer the questions at the end of the chapter. The complicated computer manual is essential to its operation, but it must be read. Reading is arguably the single most important social factor in any society.
As Pat Kozyra puts it: "The more you read, the more you know; the more you know the smarter you grow; the smarter you are, the longer you stay in school; the longer you stay in school, the more qualified you become — and this will then lead to a better earning and a better life." All, however, begins and ends with reading alone.
DEAR — Drop Everything and Read
At The Fabindia School we have the DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) activity, carried out in all classes under the guidance of the Principal herself. In today's world of technology, enjoying reading is losing its charm for students. They have lost the patience to relax and read and empower their minds with knowledge.
DEAR takes place every Monday, right after Assembly for 20 minutes, where teachers and students are expected to sit and read either their favourite book, story, or even the newspaper. It is compulsory for all to read.
Ms Deepika Tandon, the Principal of The Fabindia School, states: "Students looked hesitant initially on the first Monday but after two Mondays, this was seen as a tool to help improve the school's campus language! From compulsion to necessity is often a way to find a solution — and this is precisely what we need to do to encourage reading. DEAR is a way to increase vocabulary, improve pronunciations, be able to read better and increase one's comprehension."
What Parents Can Do
When we read a book, our mind moves from real life to reel life — we start visualising, and this is the first step to any form of learning. Parents play a crucial role: reading aloud to children, keeping books accessible at home, and modelling a reading habit themselves are among the most powerful things a family can do to support a child's education.
The school and the home must work together to make reading not a chore but a joy — a daily practice that opens the world.
Sandeep Dutt is a School Improvement Coach with over 40 years of experience transforming schools across India and Singapore. He is the author of My Good School: Where Passion Meets Education and founder of the Good Schools Alliance. He runs the Good Schools Masterclass for school leaders, principals, and educators.