Things Not To Do

Let them read!

A middler schooler I happen to know was picking out a book from her school library the other day. The staff member frowned at it, announced to the room that it had rather mature themes, and then handed it to her after all.

Just…don’t.

If a book isn’t right for middle schoolers, don’t have it in the library. If a book is in the library and a student chooses it, don’t criticize it and embarrass her in front of all her classmates.

(The book was, by the way, entirely appropriate.)

I hear from educators all the time how important it is for kids to develop a love of reading. And then I hear about things like this.

Here are a few thoughts, from someone who may not be an educator or a librarian or a literacy specialist, but from someone who does care about books and kids.

Don’t tell kids they are reading the wrong books. Don’t criticize their taste, even if their taste runs to series fiction or fantasy or graphic novels or any of the other books we adults like to sneer at. Reading is reading. Reading books that you adore is the absolutely best way (perhaps the only way?) to develop a true love for the printed word.

Don’t shut up the library or severely limit its hours and then complain that kids aren’t reading.

Don’t refuse to allow them any class time to read and then complain that they don’t prioritize reading.

Don’t give them tedious reading logs to fill out, making reading a painful chore.

Don’t act embarrassed or uncomfortable when kids in the throes of adolescence want to read about (gasp!) sexuality.

Don’t tell them when and what and how to read.

Just don’t.