A Journey to Discover My Core Beliefs; Readers Need Access to Books

By Cindy Puryear

In our journey to understand the essence of effective literacy instruction, we delve into another of my core beliefs: Children need a rich supply of books they can read and want to read. As a young reader, I struggled. I struggled for many reasons, but I know now that a big part of my problem was that I didn't read unless it was assigned. Reflecting on my experiences has helped me recognize that my reluctance stemmed from the perception of reading as merely a task, devoid of personal interest or enjoyment.

"Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift." – Kate DiCamillo

Reading shouldn't be a perfunctory chore, met with groans of frustration in classrooms. Rather, it should be for learning new things, for pleasure, for entertainment, for relaxation, and escape. Proficient readers don't just read because it's required; they derive joy from the stories that resonate with them as individuals. Throughout our history, reading has evolved from a utilitarian tool used to keep records to a form of personal expression and a way to expand our worldview. It's time to reclaim its essence as a source of entertainment, empathy, and exploration.

But how do we cultivate this love for reading within children? It begins with us, the more experienced readers, getting to know students as people first, then their preferences of readers. What topics, themes, characters, animals pique their interest? What movies, TV shows and music do they enjoy? Then, we get busy moving heaven and earth to help readers find a book they want to read. By engaging in conversations about likes, interests, and hobbies, we can tailor book recommendations that speak to their unique perspectives.

“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” – Frank Serafini

As we advocate for book choice and authentic reading experiences, we also recognize the broader landscape of literacy and the importance of holistic experiences over rote tasks. In the next installment of this series, I’ll delve deeper into the multifaceted nature of literacy instruction and explore another core belief: Students’ time to read and write must far exceed time for activities about reading and writing and other stuff.