Michael Gove has come back from the US with a laudable, but badly formulated, idea that "our children should be reading 50 books a year". Gove is a passionate advocate for excellence in music and literature, but this is silly.
Well-intentioned, but utterly wrong-headed. Anyone with children will know that.
Does the secretary of state for education seriously expect British schoolkids to read a book a week?
I wonder: how many new books has Gove read this year? According to the Gove Quotient, it should now be 12 – and rising. (I don't count browsing.)
Of course our kids should read more (and better), but cramming them like force-fed battery geese is no way to promote the idea of reading as a lifelong joy. Reading should be a private pleasure.
Children should be encouraged to try different kinds of book. To browse the shelves of the library (assuming it has not been closed). Reading for personal satisfaction and fulfilment should take place at whatever speed works best for them.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2011/mar/22/michael-gove-children-reading-week
No comments:
Post a Comment