Literacy - Why its important

[Jogeephus]

If you can't read the teleprompter how are you supposed to relay the thoughts of those who tell you what to say?

[youtube]ggHWRpsMEmk[/youtube]

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

He breaths air and he votes.

 

[highgrit]

I don't care for him or his kind. He looks terrible, so that's a plus.

 

[Jogeephus]

Speaking of literacy I just ran across this article talking about how children aren't reading books as much as they used to. I thought about this and remembered a classmate of mine in elementary school named John. John devoured books and would sit in math class with three Hardy Boy's books on his desk during class. He would pick one up and read a bit then put it down and pick up another one and read some of it. The teacher would sometimes get mad with him for not giving her his undivided attention and call on him to answer the math problem she had on the board in a petty attempt to embarrass him in class. More often than not, John would just look up from his book and call out the correct answer and go back to reading. Needless to say when I last saw John at a class reunion he had become extremely successful.

With all that in mind I got a warm feeling when I looked in my daughter's bedroom this morning and saw a stack of novels and books on her bed side table. She, like her brothers, devours books and their grades reflected it.

Thinking on this I believe we can provide all the educational resources money can buy to a child but if the child doesn't have a hunger for knowledge then its all for naught. I think the love of reading is somehow key and I can't help but wonder if our society's shift from books to electronic media will have the same effect on children's minds. I think most parents know of someone like John and should make every attempt to teach their children how delicious and healthy a good book can be. I think too it will increase the odds of your child being successful and being a benefit to society. Of course there is always the exception like Al Sharpton. He's successful at whatever it is he does in spite of him being illiterate. Just think how influential he could be if he could actually read and make a coherent sentence. There would be not stopping the man. But if he could read and put together a coherent sentence he probably wouldn't have his audience since they would think he is talking down to them. And if he had enough sense to connect the dots he would probably be a conservative or at least a moderate instead of being an idiot.

 

[3waycross]

Speaking of literacy I just ran across this article talking about how children aren't reading books as much as they used to. I thought about this and remembered a classmate of mine in elementary school named John. John devoured books and would sit in math class with three Hardy Boy's books on his desk during class. He would pick one up and read a bit then put it down and pick up another one and read some of it. The teacher would sometimes get mad with him for not giving her his undivided attention and call on him to answer the math problem she had on the board in a petty attempt to embarrass him in class. More often than not, John would just look up from his book and call out the correct answer and go back to reading. Needless to say when I last saw John at a class reunion he had become extremely successful.

With all that in mind I got a warm feeling when I looked in my daughter's bedroom this morning and saw a stack of novels and books on her bed side table. She, like her brothers, devours books and their grades reflected it.

Thinking on this I believe we can provide all the educational resources money can buy to a child but if the child doesn't have a hunger for knowledge then its all for naught. I think the love of reading is somehow key and I can't help but wonder if our society's shift from books to electronic media will have the same effect on children's minds. I think most parents know of someone like John and should make every attempt to teach their children how delicious and healthy a good book can be. I think too it will increase the odds of your child being successful and being a benefit to society. Of course there is always the exception like Al Sharpton. He's successful at whatever it is he does in spite of him being illiterate. Just think how influential he could be if he could actually read and make a coherent sentence. There would be not stopping the man. But if he could read and put together a coherent sentence he probably wouldn't have his audience since they would think he is talking down to them. And if he had enough sense to connect the dots he would probably be a conservative or at least a moderate instead of being an idiot.

You one percenters are all alike. Always trying to keep a man down. So that you can have more for yourself!

 

[Nesikep]

When Reagan was speaking at the opening ceremonies in 1984, He was there looking for the cue cards... He starts anyway.. "AAahh.... Oooh.... Ooooh". <voice from the telepromter> "Mister president, you're reading the Olympic flag, the cue card is off to the right!"

 

[TN Cattle Man]

He breaths air and he votes.

And neither of those two things help out our society in any way!! I can't even bring myself to look at that sumbitch!! (please forgive my language)!!

 

[3waycross]

When Reagan was speaking at the opening ceremonies in 1984, He was there looking for the cue cards... He starts anyway.. "AAahh.... Oooh.... Ooooh". <voice from the telepromter> "Mister president, you're reading the Olympic flag, the cue card is off to the right!"

That was one pizz poor comparison.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Nesikep we will give you Two Obama's and one Biden for one Reagan!!

 

[highgrit]

How about throwing in a couple of clinton's too Red Bull.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Don't want to fatten the pot to much highgrit, he might figure he was getting screwed.

 

[Nesikep]

saw the vid.. haahh!

 

[pdfangus]

gotta say that Mr. Reagan was the best president on my lifetime....
A free market conservative who presided over a great economy....
ended the cold war...
had the american people more united than they have been since world war two...
unfortunately there has not been any leader like him since .....just floundering politicians....
it is a sign of a corrupt system when our greatest and brightest and best refute public service.....as they must be doing because what we have in washington today hopefully is not our brightest and best....

 

[3waycross]

gotta say that Mr. Reagan was the best president on my lifetime....
A free market conservative who presided over a great economy....
ended the cold war...
had the american people more united than they have been since world war two...
unfortunately there has not been any leader like him since .....just floundering politicians....
it is a sign of a corrupt system when our greatest and brightest and best refute public service.....as they must be doing because what we have in washington today hopefully is not our brightest and best....

:tiphat:

 

[Commercialfarmer]

Speaking of literacy I just ran across this article talking about how children aren't reading books as much as they used to. I thought about this and remembered a classmate of mine in elementary school named John. John devoured books and would sit in math class with three Hardy Boy's books on his desk during class. He would pick one up and read a bit then put it down and pick up another one and read some of it. The teacher would sometimes get mad with him for not giving her his undivided attention and call on him to answer the math problem she had on the board in a petty attempt to embarrass him in class. More often than not, John would just look up from his book and call out the correct answer and go back to reading. Needless to say when I last saw John at a class reunion he had become extremely successful.

With all that in mind I got a warm feeling when I looked in my daughter's bedroom this morning and saw a stack of novels and books on her bed side table. She, like her brothers, devours books and their grades reflected it.

Thinking on this I believe we can provide all the educational resources money can buy to a child but if the child doesn't have a hunger for knowledge then its all for naught. I think the love of reading is somehow key and I can't help but wonder if our society's shift from books to electronic media will have the same effect on children's minds. I think most parents know of someone like John and should make every attempt to teach their children how delicious and healthy a good book can be. I think too it will increase the odds of your child being successful and being a benefit to society. Of course there is always the exception like Al Sharpton. He's successful at whatever it is he does in spite of him being illiterate. Just think how influential he could be if he could actually read and make a coherent sentence. There would be not stopping the man. But if he could read and put together a coherent sentence he probably wouldn't have his audience since they would think he is talking down to them. And if he had enough sense to connect the dots he would probably be a conservative or at least a moderate instead of being an idiot.

My 11 yr old's school makes them read 180 minutes a week. I think she has that completed on day 1 or 2. Anytime I call for her, I just expect to hear, "Can I wait till I get to a stopping point?" I think she prefers books to electronic media, but if she forgets her book when we go somewhere, she'll read the electronic version online.

I never could make myself sit down and read a book, just couldn't. I wrote a book report for Oklahoma history when I was a freshman in high school, and turned that same report it for English that year and again when I was a junior or senior. I preferred math and science because it was more thinking than reading. What is weird, is that I can sit down at a computer and read the internet for hours. I guess because most articles and blogs are shorter content items and I don't lose interest? I don't know. The internet has increased my knowledge about the world immensely. But, if it had been around when I was younger, I probably wouldn't have got a bit of school work done either.

 

[CottageFarm]

Thinking on this I believe we can provide all the educational resources money can buy to a child but if the child doesn't have a hunger for knowledge then its all for naught. I think the love of reading is somehow key.....

Interesting discussion!
I agree with you, JO. However, I've often wondered what makes one person devour everything they can find to read, while it's a total chore for another to read anything.

What do you all think? Is a love of reading inherent or learned?
What are your experiences, either personally or with your own children/grandchildren, siblings etc?

If you have someone who does not love to read, can we find other suitable methods to feed their hunger for knowledge?
(I believe that we all, generally, and especially as children, possess the desire to increase knowledge, but I could be very wrong on that )

 

[highgrit]

When I was a kid there was no time to read. Between sports and having to work I was to tired to read at night. But reading is where it's at as for book smarts. My two that liked to read, liked school also. My other one he's always been to busy for school, and he may be the smartest. But for sure he has the most common sense.

 

[Jogeephus]

Granted every child is different but I think the parents can encourage it through discussions at the diner table or encouraging them with a book when you see the child is interested in something. Their reading that one book opens doors for other questions and in time it becomes habit.

My friend John was encouraged by his parents to read. In fact they even offered to give him a big present if he read the whole Encyclopedia. I know he got to F and am pretty sure he finished the whole thing. You can't help but learn something by reading the encyclopedia.

Interesting enough, today I was supposed to meet with a guy who had to bow out because his son was getting an award at high school for having the highest GPA. I asked him if his son liked to read and he said he did. Said he was into sports and things like that but he devoured books. Told me he took him to Bass Pro Shop and with all the stuff they had in the store he asked him to buy him a book on Redfish. I guess the boy understood it didn't matter how many lures he had in the tackle box they were of no use if he didn't understand his prey.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Granted every child is different but I think the parents can encourage it through discussions at the diner table or encouraging them with a book when you see the child is interested in something. Their reading that one book opens doors for other questions and in time it becomes habit.

My friend John was encouraged by his parents to read. In fact they even offered to give him a big present if he read the whole Encyclopedia. I know he got to F and am pretty sure he finished the whole thing. You can't help but learn something by reading the encyclopedia.

Interesting enough, today I was supposed to meet with a guy who had to bow out because his son was getting an award at high school for having the highest GPA. I asked him if his son liked to read and he said he did. Said he was into sports and things like that but he devoured books. Told me he took him to Bass Pro Shop and with all the stuff they had in the store he asked him to buy him a book on Redfish. I guess the boy understood it didn't matter how many lures he had in the tackle box they were of no use if he didn't understand his prey.

Jo there are several styles of learning.

I believe the school systems of the 50's and 60's matched the students talents and strengths to
get the utmost learning experience better. That is where a lot of your vocational programs came in.
Amazing the lengths a kid will go to do something he enjoys.

 

[Jogeephus]

I agree. The key is to make them WANT to learn. Some teachers are able to do this but the primary responsibility falls on the family. I recently learned about a heart surgeon who invented something they now use in surgeries. The funny thing is, his father actually invented it when they were tying trout flies together. The surgeon later saw the problem in the OR and saw the similarity to the problem with tying flies and he tweaked it and got a patent on it and now he is filthy rich.

I think knowledge comes from many sources reading exposes one's mind to so many things that later can be drawn from when thinking and reasoning things out.