This is inspired by posts at Jali's House (on early memories of reading), and Organized Noise's spot (on Labor of Love). I have always been fascinated by the people who did not "like" to read. Now, I understand if individuals don't know how to read. I'd gladly help them get over that challenge. But to know how to read and not like it?! I look at those people as anomalies. What exactly is that ailment: not liking to read? Where did they catch it from? Is it curable? If I could get paid to lay around and READ all day I would be in heaven!! So, if you know of any available positions like that give me a holla!
Whenever I took on a new tutoring client, I started with a "getting to know you chat" with the child's parents. Inevitably, the parent complained that the child was having trouble in school because they didn't like to read and their eyes would roll to the heavens. I would ask simply, "Do you or your spouse like to read?" It always took ALL of my energy not to laugh at the parent's reactions which ranged from: "What the hell are you asking me that for?" to "You're here to straighten out my child, not me!" Of course, these reactions were purely communicated telepathically through body language, but they may as well have said it aloud, because it was SO clear! LOL!
I don't really remember NOT knowing how to read...yea, I have memories of stumbling on new and bigger words, but I don't recall learning to read as clearly as I recall learning to write in cursive. Cursive looked like a secret language that only my sisters & other big kids knew...but that's another topic.
I love to hear my mother tell me how good I was as a child and easy to deal with as long as there were books around. She could go grocery shopping with ease because she sat me at the book aisle and I was there when she finished (this was in the hood - where no one wants an extra mouth to feed, so child snatching was not rampant. LOL!).
I ask U - how could u NOT like to read???
*click image for its source.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Lovely Labor of Reading
Moved by The Creator, Merely posted by CapCity at 9/06/2007
Labels: love, promoting another blogger, reading, reflections
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28 Comments:
I'm always amazed at folks when they say they have never read a book or some other statement like that.
Of course, I owe my present job (voice-overs/commercial production) to the fact that I can read very well and with above-average comprehension. And I owe that ability to my parents, who basically taught me how to read before I began school.
Oh, man, the worlds people miss when they don't read! I truly, honestly pity them. They're tone-deaf in a world of musicians.
Very Good Post, I love reading, and will read practically everything, I read all through my childhood, and it is one of my escapes.
I couldn't even begin to imagine not reading.
Hey Cap City!!!
How're you??
I too am very big on reading/would gladly make a job of it if given a chance so I side with you in that I cannot fathom that there are people who don't like to read.
LOL @ "this was in the hood - where no one wants an extra mouth to feed, so child snatching was not rampant"
I feel ya!!
I feel bad because I co-inspired this post yet, up until last year, I was one of those people who did not like to read. Outside of newspapers and magazines, I didn't want anything to do with reading. Then I joined a bookclub. After that it was a wrap.
It's a travesty that so many parents aren't rearing their children but are watching them grow up. Time can never be repeated it is ever fleeting. So taking the effort to teach a child to read is the very essence of communication. I spend a great deal of time training my daughter to read so that she will not be vocabularily crippled. I know that's not a word, however when you can read you can also create words. :0)
I really like this post, Sis Cap. It reminds me of Saturday afternoons with moms on one end of the couch & a lil me on the other, each with a book in hand.
Of course, she was reading novels while I had golden book, so once I was finish, I would climb up in her lap & read whatever she was reading and we'd sit like that for hours. (Now that I think about it, is Stephen King appropriate reading for a 6-7 year old?...hmmm...that could explain alot lol)
i'm with you cap. i just don't get it. my dad never liked to read, or so he thought. recently, my mom gave him a book to read that she picked up at a garage sale. he was bored and complaining about not having anything to do. next thing she knew, his nose was buried in that book and he couldn't put it down. he's 68 years old. better late than never! ;)
Oddly enough, I used to love to read, but now have so many things going on, I have little time to "curl up with a good book." I gotta get back into it.
I too don't understand.. I love to read.. and although my children don't read as much as they used to.. it will come back to them LOL they read now for school and sometimes out of pleasure.. I'm encouraging more pleasure reading.. we are going back to our reading hour.. so far its been working..
i don't understand how anyone could not love to read.
I remember that at first I wasn't a very good reader, and hated reading aloud. I remember counting the seats ahead of me, then the paragraphs to practice the paragraph that I would have in school.
I couldn't stand the teacher that switched it up on me.
Then finding walter mosely, toni morrison had me hooked forever and ever amen.
someone told me that he thinks some people don't like to read because they have not tried books on topics they are interested in. My brother is not a big reader but do not put him anywhere near a book on conspiracy theory. He will be up all night. I think a book on something the kid or parent likes will totally cure that "I don't like to read"-itis.
I love love love, reading...as a child and even more as an adult...how else could i lose myself and imagine worlds awaiting me...reading is like breathing for me.
Suldog - I totally agree that non readers miss out on so many WORLDS!
Voice-overs. NICE! I'd love to get paid "just" to talk (& I'm CAREFUL with what I wish for these days;-). I have a friend who's trying to get into that biz & he says it's tough and he's got a great, baritone voice!
Gurl - YES! Reading is the greatest escape EVER. My mother would really look at me crazy when she'd have to come GET me after screaming my name all thru the house. She swore I was lying when I said I didn't hear her - but I DIDN'T! LOL!
I'm Good, Ms.B - how U doin', Sis?
hee heee - u like my hood "truth", eh? ;-)
Brother ON - no need for bad feelin's m'dear! u inspired the Labor of Love part. But I am curious - why DIDN'T u like to read before? What was it like in your growing up? were u busy getting INTO trouble & u had no time to read the adventures of others? ;-)
Welcome to my BlogCorner, Tony! Travesty is the BEST description! As I once heard a comedian ask: Why do "bad" parents have so many children & responsible adults who would be great parents have so few? LOL! just another reminder of God's great sense of humor, I say!
Hey Kiki! Sis, i get the sense that you're an old soul - so, no doubt u were able to handle your moma's reading;-). that's such a darling visual of u curled up reading w/ yr mom!
Li$a - that is TOOO funny! I can just picture a woman handing her man the book w/ the look on her face that says: Shet the Heck up & read this! LOL! THAT's when u KNOW your man! Yea, better late than never....
Bro G - this self-proclaimed hiatus has done wonders for allowing me to "catch up" on books I've been wanting to read! Still, too busy doesn't mean the love isn't there! ;-)
Bk's Finest - U REALLY are the Finest = a reading hour with your kids - that's great!
if i had my way as a teacher - that would be the ONLY homework needed! ;-)
Sheletha - I'm SO glad to hear that teacher didn't ruin it for u!
U reminded me of a student I had who's intellect far exceeded his skills. I had the delight of teaching him in 2nd grade AND in 5th: in 2nd grade he was the most frustrated child when we went to the library because he couldn't find books on his skill level for the topics he loved - world history, battles, coups, etc. By the time we "met" again in 5th grade he was reading on at LEAST a high school level, if not college and he was ecstatic & a lot of fun to observe!
GC - I agree whole-heartedly - once an individual finds the topic & the "flow" they desire in a book - that's "all she wrote"!
Miz, Gurrrrrl - u preachin' to the choir! I thought books gave off oxygen...until I read somewhere that it's actually plants that do! LOL!
There are lots of things to learn from this post, cap.
Me ? I was not good at reading early but I was good at learning languages.
I started real reading after the school and when it caught me, I wanted to read everything... practically making elders to believe that I am about to be crazy.
I started writing poems much later but never cared to show it to any until I was old.
Nice reading, cap.
Jac - i hope u enjoyed all that u gleaned from this post. i always envied those who spoke multiple languages and know that if i were exposed at an early age I would've been multi-lingual. I do love that aspect of living in NYC. Now my goal is to master at least one other besides english:-).
always happy to know u like a post!
My four year old wants two things when we go to the store, toy cars from the movie "Cars" and books!!!
He loves being read to (as well as my two year old) and loves when he is able to correctly read a word on a store front, newspaper or street sign.
My wife and I both love to read and modeling is the surest way to see that my kids will feel the same.
HEY!! it's the other Sullivan:-)...yea, books & book store gift certificates are still some of my FAVORITE gifts! it's delightful to teach kids to read, too - they get so excited!
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