Reading Reality

I think back on my own life and I had ample books growing up. From birth on there were always books at my disposal in my own home. Book orders where my favorite thing to take home each month. I have always loved reading (hence volunteering as a reading mentor and joining a mystery book club at a neighborhood bookstore). At any given time there are a few books on my nightstand just dying to be read. Perhaps I would have loved reading less if my parents didn't feed into my love. It helped that my parents were teachers who could see the value of reading and could financially afford to support my desires to read and learn.

One time in first grade there was a reading challenge (my family took it to mean contest; we're competitive). We were supposed to read 21 books in the month of February. It was called Running Start and there was a little track to keep a record of how many books I read, with 21 books on a page. For each book read you got a little shoe sticker to move one step forward on the track. Well, I read 301 books in the month of February and got third place in my class. Running Start continued for a few more years but the rules were rewritten after my class. One kid read over 600 books. I don't even begin to know what else he did with his life for that month. Did he sleep? Did he go outside? Did he call in sick to school a few times and stay home and read all day? I will never know. There was a snow day that month. After we read all the books in our house my dad and I went to the library twice in one day to get another slew of books to read. I don't remember how many books we read that day but it was a lot.

During the current school year I read with a little boy (let's call him Kevin) at a local elementary school every Monday during lunch through Everybody Wins! Iowa, a program from United Way of Central Iowa. Each Monday, Kevin and I get together along with about 20 other adults reading to second graders from the school. We only have 30 minutes together during the lunch time. I read to Kevin while he eats lunch. When he is done eating we take turns reading, alternating pages per his request. He is a little sweetheart, asking me on the first day if he can call me "Miss Bre" and not just "Bre." Of course, you're too polite.

Let me tell you more about Kevin. He's a second grade boy. He is not a strong reader but loves being read to. He enjoys sports and Star Wars books. We have a bingo card of book types to fill up. When we have filled the whole card Kevin gets a free book. He thought the book would go to his second grade classroom. I informed him he would get to keep the book himself and take it home. He was so excited. The only books he had at home were "God books." ("You mean bibles?" I asked. "Oh yea, those.") This would be the first book he has had all to himself. He's 7. This is the first book he will own. He is well below grade level in reading. I know I was an overachieving kid in the reading department but as a second grader he is struggling through books I mastered in kindergarten. He wants to be a dentist. If he doesn't learn to read there's strong chance he will not excel in other academic areas because the reading will be too difficult. My hope is that we can really develop his reading skills this year. That starts with having access to books for him.

Behind all of us that read so many books growing up were parents encouraging our every move. The thing is, I don't know if Kevin even has a library card or parents who would get him one. I know he has a dog and while dogs are cute and fun they don't come with library cards or books that will help him learn. There are scary statistics about kids not being at grade level reading by the start at third grade are less likely to succeed in school: never be at grade level reading and they are more likely to drop out. Beyond third grade reading is not just learning to read it is about reading to learn. This program is vital. It is vital for all kids but Kevin is a prime example. I grew up very privileged compared to him with books always within an arm's reach.

So the next book you read (or magazine or newspaper or study material), think about what got you to that point. Your parents, your grandparents, your aunts and uncles, your teachers. Someone had to help you. You didn't magically wake up one day with the ability to read. You had to learn. Thank the person that helped you and pass along the gift of reading to someone else.