Being the daughter of two English teachers means that most of our dinnertime conversations are about school. Students, lesson plans, complaints about administration, etc. When I told my parents I wanted to be a teacher myself, I started getting all kinds of advice, much of which I nod along to, but know that's not what I want to do. However, there is something my dad said that I agree with. He told me, "Students always complain that they don't like to read, but I tell you, everyone likes to read, it's just a matter of finding what it is you like to read." 

I completely agree with this. I can't even say how many times I've met someone who's reading resume consists of novels or text books they were forced to read in high school, and claims to hate reading. The fact of the matter is, a lot of information we are required to read in school is boring to most students. They key to get students of all ages into reading is to help them find a book or magazine that interests them. 

This is touched on in the book I'm reading: "Do I really Have To Teach Reading?" by Cris Tovani. Tovani works helping teachers develop curriculum that helps students read in a particular content area. She was working in a science classroom, and was using a chapter on viruses as her example for the class. The chapter was dull, and she needed to figure out how to make the students care when she herself didn't. Tovani openly shared her struggle with the students and teachers, and was confronted after her talk by a teacher who was appalled that viruses could be thought boring. In fact, the teacher claimed, there were several interesting articles that talked about amazing information about viruses, even that they could potentially be the source of a   cure for cancer. Tovani replied, "Then why aren't you using those articles with your students?"

Why aren't they? I remember my senior year in high school when my English teacher removed one of the recommended novels and put the latest Cormac McCarthy book on the list instead. It had just come out and we couldn't believe we were allowed to not just read, but study such a modern book. Consequently, our class discussions and papers were much more stimulating, because were were able to follow the growing popularity of the book and relate it to our own lives. Mind you, this was a class of Advanced Placement seniors who were all in the top ten percent and planning on going to college. If we were thrilled to read something that interested us, imagine what would happen to a class of low-income, low reading level students who had no desire to be in school? As an art teacher I can't easily read a science text or history book, unless it's put into an art context. Then I can't get enough.

While teachers need to cultivate an interest in reading in the classroom, it all really starts at home. Parents should help their children like reading by finding them books, magazines, zines, newspapers, even comic books that hold the child's interest, then expand from there.