Reading = Thinking

Think about the learning that you’ve done as an adult. My guess is that it has consisted of reading books or articles and responding in some fashion—through dialogue, a presentation, a written response, or on social media. I'm guessing that the reading itself was done in a quiet place, free from distractions, so that you were able to concentrate and truly engage in what the author was trying to articulate.

Since we are in the business of educating our citizens (and future voters), we must allow our students quiet time to practice reading, reflecting, and making informed decisions. They need to be able to unplug, slow down, think for themselves...and not have to rely on someone else to solve a problem for them. 

I encourage you to follow some of my heroes like Pam Allyn, LeVar Burton, Penny Kittle, Kelly Gallagher, Kylene Beers and Bob Probst. Check out the work that Jarred Amato and Project LIT Community are doing in Nashville. These people GET it. They believe that literacy is the great equalizer. They understand that the ability to THINK through a text and respond with empathy and compassion for others is what strengthens society.

I try every single day to take a page out of their books (see what I did there? 😉).

Happy Reading! 📖