The Importance of Reading

Last night before I went to bed, I picked up the March 22nd edition of America Magazine which is published by the Jesuits of the United States. Always on the back cover of the magazine, there is a commentary titled “Of Many Things” and one of the editors discusses a concern, issue or story.

This time, Karen Sue Smith discusses reading. She speaks about her love of reading and the fact that she received that enduring gift from a teacher. In the commentary, she mentions how teachers used to read aloud to her in school. Plus she describes how reading changed her life because it sparked her interest and involvement in issues and helped her be aware of a bigger world.

That made me reflect again on how important literacy is in our society. We must work harder to make sure more people in our society can read and write. It is so necessary.

I am teaching a course at Fordham University titled Children’s Literature in Multicultural Classrooms. Each week I meet with undergraduate and graduate students and we discuss the importance of good literature and how it can help expand a child’s mind and expose him or her to other realities and make connections to his or her life. I think I’ll share this commentary with them next time we meet as a way to encourage them to keep working toward their goal of being a teacher.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu