On the 17th we had to fire one of the greats of Spanish literature, Gabriel García Márquez, and a few days ago we celebrated the International Book Day (April 23th). The union of these two events meant that in some radio programs there was much talk about reading and who García Márquez was and has been for our generation and that of our parents.
All this to explain that I went for a run listening to the radio (instead of music I listen to radio programs, that's why I find out what happens in the world), specifically "El món a RAC1" and in a moment of debate several Tertullians agreed that one of the mistakes of the education system and at the same time an injustice towards the great writer was that none of his books used to be part of the mandatory readings in schools and institutes.
This reminded me of my childhood, and how much I came to hate reading and books, and that is why today I am writing you this post in which I give you some tips to make children hate books and hate reading too. It is not very difficult, in fact.
After listening to them, after complaining all of them about that situation and agreeing that Gabriel García Márquez should be a compulsory reader in our education system, I wanted to take out the phone and send a tweet to the program by saying something like "Compulsory reading? Never. The things that must be savored cannot be done in an obligatory way". But I didn't do it because I was running and taking out my cell phone to write was relatively risky.
Compulsory readings at school
It doesn't depend on us, it depends on the education system, but that force you to do something is the first step so you don't want to do it. I had always liked football a lot, but when I entered to play in a club and the game became training, rules and time set for everything, I started to like it a little less. I still liked it, but it wasn't the same anymore.
Imagine reading, which can be wonderful if you like a book, but heavy if, although you like it, you should read it yes or yes and terrible, if you must read it and you don't like it. I have left very few books in my life and I have never thrown any because in my house "books are not thrown". Now, there is one that I did not finish and went straight to the trash because I did not want to see it again, how bad it was. If they get to force me to finish it, if they get to force me to read it, I don't know how much time it would have taken to dare to take another book.
That's why children, who have a wide range of leisure activities around them, the last thing you have to do to get him to like reading is to force them to read. It is almost more feasible to force them to do everything they would rather do than read so that they end up reading.
Summarize what has been read
How did you show that you had read a book? Well, doing a job on him. This was already the climax. You read a book that, even though it was good, you were not interested at that time for several reasons: you do not choose it, it may not like you and, even if you like it, it may not be the right time to read it. Each book has its history and its moment, and there are books that I have read again now, read in childhood, that I have enjoyed much more in this moment of my life than at that time, when they did not contribute much to me.
Well, if in addition to doing something forced, such as reading a book, then you have to do a job on it, the weariness is much greater. If they also have the great idea of making you do it during the holidays or tell you: "read these three books and make a summary for September". Well, shit is the best place where I sent my teachers.
Do not read or have books at home
This does depend on us parents: do not preach with the example as a reader. Don't read, don't take books, don't talk about them, don't have books at home. I know people, and I don't understand, that He has no books at home. None. Not even ornament. Not even if one day they break a leg and have nothing to do and after seeing that they do not put anything on any television channel they give them to take one and read a few pages. Not even to put the leaves of the trees in between so that they remain flat. Not even to put them under the front legs of the crib and raise the baby a little while sleeping to breathe better or have less reflux.
Well, of such a stick, such splinter. If there are no books at home, if you don't read at home, a child will hardly read. Then that child who does not read goes to school, where they force him to read. I do not know what books and to do I do not know what summaries and arduous will be the task of anyone who wants to convince him to read anything.
And if there are no mandatory readings, how do you get to know García Márquez?
Well, bringing it closer to the children. Speaking of him in class, explaining where he was born, where he lived and reading all together part of what he wrote. Arousing children's curiosity to know more about him. Reading a small fragment and commenting on it. Working a work a quarter, but there, in class, among all. And whoever wants to read more about him is free to do it at home. Creating a reading club, a club where children can read a book together, comment on it, enjoy it.
Yes, I know it sounds utopian, it seems that there will be four children, two or none doing it. But if so, it is because we have been doing it very badly with children for a long time, who have already fallen into the easy leisure time of "having everything chewed on me" in the form of movies or video games. A while, let the story begin and end quickly, I'm going for the following.
No, the books are not fast. The books are long moments. An instant now, another later. An event today, another tomorrow and so on as the days go by and we read. In the end, they are moments of our lives that leave their mark. And this children are missing because we try to force them to live it when they get lost in the letters It is one of the best moments of freedom we can have. Do not you think?
