Why is reading important?

Why read the Harry Potter Series when you can watch the movies?  Why read the holy scriptures when you can listen to its audio CD?   We parents spend a bomb on Edutainment videos (entertainment that is intended to be educational) because learning is not only fun but also fast.  Reading, on the other hand, demands time and effort. So, why bother with reading when there is an easier option available?  Is reading really better than other audio/-visual medium?

The answer is YES, reading is better.  New research shows that the brain is like a muscle.  It gets stronger with exercise.  Reading is more neurobiologically demanding than processing images or speech.  When you read, you have more time to think and the brain neurons connect in a specific circuit that is challenging.  Reading gives you a unique pause button for comprehension and insight.  When you watch a film or listen to a tape—you don't press pause." [1]

1. Reading keeps the mind sharper:  It is inevitable that the mind becomes sluggish as you grow old.  However, a good reading habit can keep it alert.  The subconscious effort that you take while reading keeps your mind sharper.  

2. Conscious and consistent reading helps boost memory, build vocabulary and spell words correctly.

3. Reading improves focus: A study from the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that watching videos as a toddler may lead to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in later life. In contrast to the way real life unfolds and is experienced by young children, the pace of TV is greatly sped up. The quick scene shifts of video images become normal to a child when in fact it most definitely not normal/natural. Exposing a baby’s developing brain to videos may overstimulate it, causing permanent changes in developing neural pathways [2].  Books, as stated earlier, stimulate the mind the right way thus improving your ability to concentrate.

4. Reading enhances imagination: When you read a story book, you end up creating an entire movie in your mind, appealing at all senses.  Isn't that why people always say the book was better than the movie.  No Oscar winning director can beat the cinema of your imagination.  

5. Reading is refreshing:  Watching hours and hours of TV can make you feel numb whereas reading for many hours does not fatigue you.

6. Reading helps you grow:  You are transported to different geographies.  You gain knowledge about different cultures.  You relate to different perspectives and thus learn to empathise, which is a very essential characteristic to be a happy person.  Meg Ryan in You’ve got Mail says, “When you read a book as a child it becomes part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your life does.”

Now that we have seen some of the benefits of a reading habit, how do we encourage our children to read more?  We all know that it is not a simple task.  With easier and more exciting alternatives available, children resist the idea of reading.  If we push them, they rebel.  An avid reader myself, I struggled for a long time to get my son to enjoy reading.  Now that he does, there is no stopping him.  So, how do we help our kids enjoy reading to a point that it develops into a habit/hobby?  For that, do check out my blog post '15 ideas to help your child develop a reading habit' :)


Reference:
[1] http://www.oprah.com/health/How-Reading-Can-Improve-Your-Memory#ixzz3zlX9bo5J
[2] http://www.whitedot.org/issue/iss_story.asp?slug=ADHD%20Toddlers

March 2015: Friendly Monsters

The stories we read this month were
1. Tiger and the mosquito
2. The Grufallo (one of my all time favorite)
3. The Gruffallo's child
4. Monsters Inc. (story book)

My class children speak on a topic every week.  Though I urge them to prepare and come, they usually end up speaking on the spot (I give them two minutes to come up with 4 clear points).  Since we do two classes a week, they speak on the same topic twice.  This gives them a chance to improve if the first time was not good enough.

One of the weekly topics for this month (towards the end of the month) was to speak about their favourite story.  The idea was for them to try and articulate "why" they liked a particular story.  On the second day, all kids ended up 'narrating' their favourie stories and I must say they did it sooooo beautifully.  I was surprised that 5 out of 8 kids chose Tiger and the mosquito, which according to me is a very simple short story in comparison to the many other internationally acclaimed stories that we have read over the last few months. Maybe there was a recency bias, maybe they loved the moral of the story: 'Everybody is great in their own way!', maybe they liked the 'way' the tiger loses his arrogance to the fearless little mosquito.  Whatever be the reason, I realized the power of 'short and simple' stories.

Moving on to the drawings of this month...the theme was Friendly Monsters. Here is a sample of what we did:

15 ideas to help your child get into the habit of reading

These ideas are predominantly for children of ages 2 to 7.  They are based on my personal experiences and suggestions from friends (parents/educators) who deal with children of these age groups.

1. Cut down Television/IPad/Video time dramatically.  Be kind but firm about this decision. This will automatically create time to do other healthy activities like playing and reading.
2. Read with/to your child.  It is the best way to build a reading habit.  It is also the ultimate bonding routine (only second to breast feeding) - Nothing like cozying up with your little one and reading a book before bed time.  In the beginning, I used to read to my son. Once he stared reading a little, we used to read alternate paragraphs to each other.  Over time, alternate paragraphs became alternate pages. Then he stared reading short books aloud and I would listen. This gave me a chance to help him pronounce words correctly and rectify his mistakes.  Now, he can't be bothered to strain his voice by reading aloud - he reads on his own. 
3. Start with a recommended book (if possible, from a favourite topic):  The starting point is very important for setting any habit.  A good book inspires you to read more.  Pick a book that is tried, tested and enjoyed by many children. Your child might still not like it.  In that case, try books from their subject of interest - I picked up many popular children's books (Mr Men and Dr Seuss series), which my son and I read together and had fun with.  However, he refused to read them by himself.  Then I looked for books based on Disney's Cars and Jurassic Park, his favourite movies.  They were a huge hit.  He also loves listening to mythological stories -  So, I bought Amar Chitra Katha's Ganesha and Mahabarata.  He was glued to them.  Supandi and Shikari Shambu are causing a laugh riot.  I realise that among picture books, comic strip genre is his current preference.  
4. Short and simple:  Beginners have low attention span.  Give them the sense of satisfaction of having completed a book by picking short and simple books.  I started with the Pepper/Bruno/Bubbles series for my 3-year old. 
5. Slow and Steady:  Do not bombard them with many books at the same time just because they are short.  Moreover, children love reading the same book over and over again (and bore you to death).  Be patient.  Repetition helps increase their confidence.  They read faster and make fewer mistakes with each iteration.  Introduce one new book at a time, say once a fortnight.
6. Use Phonics:  Help them read by breaking words into sounds using phonics.  You can try books that emphasise on words using phonics.  My son enjoyed the Funny Photo Phonics series.
7. Discuss books: Ask your child about the story of the book he/she has recently read.  Don't ask him to 'narrate it' but genuinely 'discuss it' with him.  Ask him questions like which his favourite story is, why he likes his favourite character, why he does not like something. 
8. Read anything  anywhere: A menu card in a restaurant, a poster on a wall, the brand name on your handbag, the news headlines, the name of a programme while you are browsing TV, make of a passing car...you get the drift
9. Praise them every time they show even the slightest improvement or express interest to read extra.  Drawing a simple star or a smilie-face on their hands makes them feel like they have reached the moon.  Do not give material rewards as this will misplace their motivation to read.  We want them to read for the joy of it and nothing else.
10. Fix a daily reading time and stick to it.  Link it to a daily routine, like before going to bed or before a meal.  Start with a few minutes and slowly increase it based on the child’s interest. Older kids might rebel when asked to read on their own.  Push them, but not too hard.  We still want them to "enjoy" reading.  Maintain the discipline of reading for at least a few minutes every day.  However, make room for exceptions too :)
11. A good reading environment.  A noise free, clutter free area with as much natural light as possible.  Keep it simple: a bed, a comfortable couch or a cleared-out dining table (while the child reads, you can listen from the kitchen).  Provide them with a bookshelf exclusively for their books.  This makes them feel important.  Also, they get to pick a book based on their mood and put it back in its place, thus building a sense of responsibility too.
12. Carry a (favourite) book while holidaying, shopping, visiting doctors or where ever they bored.  This way they begin to appreciate reading as an activity that can save them from boredom.
13. Subscribe to a children’s magazine.  It will have a good mix of short stories and other activities.  My friend’s son goes crazy when “his” magazine arrives at the door step.  
14. Go to libraries, (seconds) book shops and book fairs with your child.  These environment stimulate reading interest.  I go to the Anna Centenary Library (Chennai).  I am not sure about my son, but it sure is my favourite place in the city.  I have picked up many gems from used-book stores.  Books from libraries and second's stores give us the chance to experiment because they are easy on the pocket.
15. Lead by example.  Let him see you read regularly.  Show him that you enjoy it.  Children learn by observing and imitating us too!

Feb 2015 - Shiva Stories

Lord Shiva is one of the popular gods in the Hindu religion. Maha Shivaratri, the Great Night of Shiva, marks the union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.  The anniversary usually falls in the month of February or March (lunar calendar).  It is a religious celebration where devotees stay awake and fast through the entire night.  This year it fell on 19th Feb.  So, I decided to dedicate this month on the colourful mythological stories of Lord Shiva.

Among the many stories we read were:

Story 1:  The story of the hunter who is delayed in the forest.  To prevent becoming the prey of wild animals as the sun sets, he climbs on a Bilva tree.  He is afraid he will fall down if he dozes off and hence decides to keep himself awake by plucking the leaves of the tree.  While doing this, he witnesses animals being extraordinarily kind to each other in this forest.  This brings a sense of calmness to his mind.  The next morning he leaves the jungle a changed man.  He gives up hunting.  From that day till the end of his life he is kind to animals and fellow humans.  Many years later, when he dies he is surprised to reach the gates of heaven. After all, he was a hunter killing living beings for most of his adult life.  When he asks God, Lord Shiva tells him that the night that he stayed awake was Shivarathri. He had unwittingly fasted and thought of good things.  Also, the Bilva leaves he was dropping was actually falling on a small Shiva Linga (see pictures below) under the tree.  This had pleased the Lord, who forgave his sins because he had become a changed man after that day.

Story 2:  Boon to Bhagiratha: How River Ganga descends to earth from heaven.
King Bhagiratha requests Mother Ganga to descend from heaven to earth in order to purify his land.  Ganga agrees but warns him that she is way too ferocious for the earth to handle.  He requests Lord Shiva to help Mother Ganga land gently. Now, Ganga wants to show-off to Shiva and comes charging violently towards him.  Shiva is too quick and traps her in his matted locks.  Ganga's pride is broken.  She pleads for forgiveness and begs to be released.  Shiva obliges and lets her flow gently from his hair bun.

Story 3: Markandeya: Sixteen Forever
Markandeya, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, is a child prodigy.  He is destined to die as soon as he completes his sixteenth year.  When Yama, the lord of death, comes to collect Markandeya on the stipulated day, the young boy runs to Lord Shiva to save himself.  He begs the Lord to let him live so that he can serve his aged parents, who will become helpless if he were to die.  Lord Shiva is in a fix as he cannot change fate.  Idea strikes and the Lord grants him a boon where he will remain forever sixteen years old.  Thus, Yama goes back empty handed.  Markandeya lives a long young life and serves his parents well.

Story 4: NeelaKanta - How Shiva got a blue throat:
The Gods and Demons together are churning the nectar of immortality from the ocean using Vasuki, the snake, as the rope around Mount Mandara and Lord Vishnu has taken the form of a Turtle supporting the mountain.  Days of churning makes Vasuki sick and he begins to spew a deadly poison that can destroy the three worlds. The Gods run to Lord Shiva for help.  Never the one to disappoint anyone who sincerely seeks his help, Shiva begins to drink all the poison.  His beloved Parvathi, holds his throat to prevent him from swallowing the poison and hurting himself.  He appreciates her love and decides to keep the poison in his throat.  Thus the blue throat!

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Posted below are drawings of the different forms of Lord Shiva drawn by 5-6 year olds in my class.  I have written down the details and significance of some of those forms.

The Shiva Linga:
Fruits, flowers, diya, kolam (rangoli) and incense around the lings as pooja offerings.

Shiva:

He has matted locks and wears leopard hide.
Ganga flows from his hair and the moon rests on the other side.

His neck has a snake wrapped around 
Rudraksha bead string necklace is also found

His forehead has three stripes of holy ash smeared, 

the third eye in the center is to be feared

He holds a trishul (trident, his celestial weapon) onto which a Damru (the hourglass drum) is tied
He stands on Mount Kailash, his holy abide.

Nataraja: The King of Dance

• Shiva is shown with four arms and flying locks dancing on the figure of a demon, who represents human ignorance. This action symbolizes Embodiment / Enlightenment.
• The back right hand holds the damaru, the drum whose beats begin Creation. 
• The front right hand is in the “fear-not” gesture, made by holding the palm outward with fingers pointing up. This symbolizes Protection.
• The back left hand carries Agni (fire) in his palm, symbolizing Destruction. 
• The front left hand is held across his chest in the elephant-trunk pose, with wrist limp and fingers pointed downward toward the uplifted left foot, which symbolizes Release.
• His figure is encircled by a ring of flames, representing the eternal cyclical nature of existence: destruction and creation

Dec 2014: Christmas theme

The month of December'2014 saw Christmas stories followed by...

Christmas Theme - Dec 2014

Jan 2015: Tatput Warli

Tatput Warli is my class's experiment on Warli art.  Since this art uses basic shapes, it was very easy for the 5 old's to pick up this style.  We added our own touch by making it colourful. (as opposed to the original art).  

Warli Class work

Warli Bookmarks

Warli Bookmark Workshop

If you have not heard of Warli, below is a snippet from Wikipedia about it...

The Warlis are an indigenous tribe or Adivasis from Western India.  Their extremely rudimentary wall paintings use a very basic graphic vocabulary: a circle, a triangle and a square.  The ritual paintings are usually done inside the huts. The walls are made of a mixture of branches, earth and cow dung, making a Red Ochre background for the wall paintings. The Warli use only white for their paintings. Their white pigment is a mixture of rice paste and water with gum as a binding. They use a bamboo stick chewed at the end to make it as supple as a paintbrush. The wall paintings are done only for special occasions such as weddings or harvests. 

The lack of regular artistic activity explains the very crude style of their paintings, which were the preserve of the womenfolk until the late 1970s. Then, this ritual art took a radical turn, when Jivya Soma Mashe and his son Balu Mashe started to paint, not for any special ritual, but because of his artistic pursuits. Warli painting also featured in Coca-Cola's 'Come home on Diwali' ad campaign in 2010 was a tribute to the spirit of India’s youth and a recognition of the distinct lifestyle of the Warli tribe of Western India.

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Animals from the stories we read

There is no dearth of animal stories for children. We read them all the time. We managed to draw quite a few too. Here is a collage of what we did this month.

1. Rupa, the Elephant
2. The Sly Fox and the Red Hen
3. The two stubborn goats
4. Prakash, the peacock

Animals

Stories: Food for Brain & Soul

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” – Albert Einstein

This quote, by my favourite genius, validates my belief in stories as a wonderful tool for overall development of children (well rounded intelligence).


Food for Brain:
The definition of intelligence is controversial. When two dozen prominent theorists were asked to define intelligence, they gave two dozen, somewhat different, definitions 1.
Thefreedictionary.com says, intelligence is the ability to acquire, understand, and use knowledge;
Wikipedia says, Intelligence has been defined in many different ways such as in terms of one's capacity for logic, abstract thought, understanding, self-awareness, communication, learning, emotional, knowledge, memory, planning, creativity and problem solving;
The controversial Theory of Multiple Intelligence picks nine abilities that characterize intelligence: musical–rhythmic “Musical Smart”, visual–spatial “Picture Smart”, verbal–linguistic “Word Smart”, logical–mathematical “Number/Reasoning Smart”, bodily–kinaesthetic “Body Smart”, interpersonal “People Smart”, intrapersonal “Self Smart”, naturalistic “Nature Smart”, Existential “Spiritual intelligence, moral”.
There are many more definitions. However, the idea of this post is not get into the semantics.

Whatever definition you choose to pick, reading/listening to/narrating stories help stimulate the different aspects of intelligence. Stories provide a wonderful platform to introduce and reinforce a range of ideas, information, morals, history and cultural awareness, language, thinking Styles (logical, practical, creative, Relational)2 and lot more. Till the age of 6, a child’s mind is like a sponge that absorbs anything you pour in. What matters is the way you pour it in. You could dole out information plainly or you could spin a story around it. We all know that the brain remembers and works better with association. Stories help build that association.

Here is an example: An information is conveyed to a 5 year old in two formats:
(a) Blood gushes from your heart to every part of the body. The heart has four chambers.
(b) Hemo and globin were two friends who lived in the red river of blood. They loved swimming together and exploring different parts of the body. They would go to the gooey brain and then to the dry toe skin, they would go to the fluffy lungs and next to the shiny eye. Wherever they went, they always came back home, to the heart. The heart had four rooms...
Which version do you think they like?  Which version do you think they would remember after a month?

Food for Soul:
When children go through a rough patch, some of us parents get into the advisory mode. We tell children how to behave and how not to. Though these vocal warnings and encouragement helps once in a while, what is far reaching is that which is not said. Stories have the wonderful capacity to heal (especially, the ones that are not preachy). The right story at the right time can be extremely uplifting. If your child is upset because he has not scored well in an exam encourage him with the Hare and tortoise story: remind him of the importance of hard work and being consistent to achieve their goal. The same story can be used to playfully warn a child who is over-confident and hence lazy. The mouse in The Gruffalo shows how, with a calm mind and a sharp wit, he escapes all his predators. Aesop’s Fables, Panchatantra and Jataka tales are wonderful moral and behavioral stories, which subtly teach children how the world is and how to cope in it. If you want to help your child though something, try telling a story instead of giving advice. If you cannot think of one, make one up! I assure you that even during adversity, the right story can help build a confident, courageous, compassionate, righteous, hardworking, witty and most importantly happy child.


The most significant feature of a story is its power to touch hearts. This makes the impact lasting! Be it being number savvy or being compassionate, exposure to good stories can help build wonderful children and a wonderful society.

1 - From "Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns" (1995), a report published by the Board of Scientific Affairs of the American Psychological Association.
2. http://www.susieweller.com/brain.html

Benefits of Interactive Storytelling

Any form of storytelling is good for children. That said, according to me, interactive style is the best.

Involve the child. Ask them questions : What do 'you' think will happen next? Was what happened good or bad? What should the character do now? What should he have done? What do you think is the morals? etc. While repeating an old story, stop mid sentence and wait for the child to complete it.  You can even test their attentiveness and understanding by saying something completely wrong/different. Their reaction will reveal the truth.

Such interaction will helps us

1. hold their attention better 
2. check if they have understood what was intended
3. understand their way of thinking
4. stimulate their minds

1. Hold their attention better

Attention span of kids is very short.   Keeping them involved by asking questions will help them tune back in whenever they wander off.  Having said that, there will be times when they may seem distracted, but are actually listening.  Asking questions will help you check if they indeed distracted.

2. Validate Information 

While telling a story, the child might have misunderstood parts of it.  There can be many reasons: we might have struggled to express an idea or the child's mind might have wandered off while we were explaining something important. Interacting while narrating will help us validate right information and correct their wrong notions.  .

3. Understand them better

Constant interaction will helps us understand the child's style of thinking. What would 'you' do in this situation? what do 'you' think will come next? Is what happened right or wrong?  Children's answers to such questions will make us laugh at times and at times will make us stand up, think and reevaluate our beliefs.  It will give us insights into their natural abilities, interests, morale, memory capacity and much more.  

4. Stimulate their minds

The younger the child, the more independent his/her thinking is.  Children are capable of out-of-the-box thinking at a very young age.  Questioning them inspires them to think deeper.  To build creativity, lateral thinking, better articulation of ideas or just simple clear thinking, we need to probe them frequently.

Believe me, we have so much learn from them, if alone we are willing to QUESTION and LISTEN.