Reading is an inherent part of every education system around the world. We learn how to read in school, and with that skill we continue to read books in order to learn how to think critically. However, while reading for your own pleasure can be entertaining, stimulating, and rewarding, some believe that the same can’t always be said of reading in an academic setting. Despite the apparent revival of reading as a beneficial and popular pastime since the pandemic, there still exists an age-old debate regarding school and its influence on reading habits among students.
Starting in elementary school, the books teachers choose for us are limited to those that either teach us important lessons or are within our reading level. As we get older, our assigned reading for school gets more complex. It encourages us to think politically, critically, and emotionally. Classics, both old and modern, are chosen to teach something to students but can often be mentally taxing and challenging reads (as they are often intended to be). Adding on classes upon classes of in-depth discussion and analysis to some of these texts that students find boring or difficult to understand can potentially be harmful to cultivating a generation of students who enjoy reading recreationally. On the other hand, some students need that level of intellectual conversation to fully understand what they are reading. English classes in school often help by providing important contextual background that students may not seek out on their own.
That being said, the vast majority of books studied in school are classic novels written by men. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this genre of books, as they can be enjoyable and educational, some contend that forcing a particular genre, author, text or opinion on a book can be harmful to a student’s interest and may prevent them from reading altogether. Some claim that books read for school are doing more harm than good (see this Reddit thread for some opinions on the matter).
However, people also point out that books chosen by teachers are becoming more diverse and discussions are becoming ones that are necessary for understanding the book on a deeper level. That’s to say, it’s shifting the conversation from “Did you understand this complex text?” to “Why was this necessary for the time or how is it still relevant today?”. It’s also the reason I strongly feel that the education system is only bolstering reading academically and recreationally. For more opinions on how the school system is ‘ruining’ reading check out this reddit thread.
I believe that academic reading—and maybe, to an extent, the American school system—has fostered a love for reading. Federal data from 2021 indicates that fewer American children are interested in reading. If fewer children are truly interested in reading, schools requiring them to read texts and discuss them at length encourages their engagement. It’s clear to me that the school system is not hindering reading. There are plenty of other factors that can impact a student’s interest in reading compared to a few assigned readings and related coursework. Some of my favourite classics were ones I read in school with a teacher guiding our understanding of the complete contextual and literary references and background. As I began to reflect on my own reading, I am also able to see how classics and other texts that are commonly taught in schools benefit from a discussion. Reading books like Animal Farm and Fahrenheit 451, which I did by myself, would probably have been even better if I could have made connections between things my own mind didn’t pick up on.
Reading is an integral part of education. Contrary to popular belief, reading in academic settings does not ruin reading at all, but rather can foster a love for it. In an increasingly social and digital world where reading is at an all time low, it is incredibly important to—at the very least—continue teaching, reading, and discussing books so that students and future generations can be better critical thinkers.
Vanshikha Vij, Pine Reads Review Writer