The key to happiness is a good book

Why is reading so beneficial to us as a species not just in terms of the intellectual rewards gained but also for our wellbeing and happiness?  How do we get young people in particular to engage with books and reading over more passive activities like watching the TV or looking at a smartphone?

Reading is the key to happiness.

Toasty toes and an improved mind

Well, perhaps this is overstating it a little bit, but certainly reading for pleasure is widely acknowledged as one of the great pastimes, and one which in the face of ever-increasing distractions in the form of glowing screens is becoming less and less popular.  This is a shame and it is also worrying.  The TES recently published a list compiled by teachers of 100 books that students coming out of KS2 and KS4 should have read.  I have only read about a third of the books on each list and I am now making it my mission to read the rest.  My e-reader is positively brimming with out of copyright free of charge classics ready to go.  Most of my students have read only four or five, and many of those under the auspices of the classroom rather than a general desire to read.  ‘She/he is a reluctant reader’ is a familiar refrain and when asked why, those ‘reluctant’ individuals will say reading is ‘boring’.  Again, an all too familiar response.

To begin with, recent studies have confirmed what so many of us who have worked in education have been saying for a long time.  Reading makes you smarter.  It’s not simply learning the facts of non-fiction texts, or processing the concepts involved, the familiarity with syntax, an expansion of vocabulary, or even an exposure to varied tones and voices, that improves the mind.  It is all of these things and so much more.  Reading gets us to consider different viewpoints, to empathise with unfamiliar characters and situations outside of our experience.  We create pictures in our minds when we read and this is what makes reading so much more satisfying than passively viewing a screen.  Furthermore, reading helps to make us more well-rounded individuals, increases our awareness of others, and subsequently a connection with others.  Connection to others’ lives is one of the cornerstones of a happy existence.  And you can’t argue with the fact that more socially aware, empathetic people tend to have more fulfilling and successful lives overall.  Yes, reading is more active and involves a modicum of effort that passive viewing does not, but the rewards are obvious.

These studies have suggested that replacing a passive activity with reading on a regular basis has startling effects on the intellectual capacity of teenagers.  It has even been suggested that doing so can make the difference between one or two GCSE grades.  I believe that it is not simply the intellect-boosting effects of reading that are responsible for this, but also another benefit of reading – the calming of the mind.  Overexposure to the light emitted from screens on smartphones, tablets, computers and TV screens upsets our circadian rhythms, which in turn interferes with our sleep length and quality.  A tired mind is a stressed mind, and one which struggles to cope with other intellectual demands placed on it at school or at work.  Conversely, reading has an almost meditative effect on the mind which in our increasingly overstressed and overstimulated lives is an incredibly powerful thing.  If we as adults or as children read more, we are likely to become more relaxed individuals as well as clearer thinkers.  Relaxed people are happier people.

Now for the tricky bit; how do we get young people who have even more pressure and exposure to technology and the distractions this provides to disengage with the phone, the ipad, the computer, the TV, long enough to become absorbed in a good book, i.e. not reading a few pages and declaring it ‘boring’ because little pixelated characters have not leapt off the screen and done a song and dance routine under a banner of alternating emojis?  I might suggest a trip to the local library but I’m sure in most cases this would be greeted with the sorts of heavy-shouldered sighing and rolls of the eyes that would make Kevin and Perry look like attentive, model students.  Well done if you’ve got them there though, and I would then engage the services of the coolest looking librarian in the vicinity to help them select some books, although I appreciate this may be an oxymoron.  I would certainly encourage careful selection of reading material, as there really is such a thing as a boring book.  Perhaps something to tie in with a movie or TV series or dramatization would help, as familiarity with the story and characters would be a bonus for youngsters who have not read for a long while.  If a passion for a particular series of books is kindled, such as the Hunger Games or Harry Potter canon, then try diversifying by drawing parallels between those highly favoured books and a new title, such as an interesting character or theme. 

I also believe that young people need to learn from example.  If you are asking your children to read, then you should be reading too, perhaps even the same book so that you can discuss it as you go along or afterwards.  At the very least, try setting aside a few hours every week where all electronic devices including the TV are switched off and all members of the household are reading something.  I have been avoiding screens myself in the evenings for some weeks now in favour of reading, and this change of habit has already helped me to sleep better and feel more relaxed.  Everyone will benefit from this.

Here’s the really exciting part.  Reading frees us.  Reading makes us more aware of the subtleties of language, making us critical thinkers as well as clear thinkers.  If we read literature of quality on a regular basis, we are far less likely to passively accept ideas as they are simplistically presented to us in the mainstream media, by self-serving politicians, by advertisers etc.  We become liberated as a result.  We become better communicators as well.  Who is to say that we may not have the next best idea that will help make this world a better place?  Who is to say that inside you or your child is not the potential to make a significant and lasting change for the better through communication of a key idea?  Ideas will not come without reading as reading is an exploration of the world of ideas.

So, reading is the key to happiness.  I have convinced myself over the course of my writing that my original assertion is correct and not an overstatement after all. 

Thank you for reading.

https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/100-fiction-books-all-children-should-read-leaving-secondary-school-%E2%80%93

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/23/can-reading-make-you-smarter

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/09september/pages/television-and-computer-use-linked-to-lower-gcse-grades.aspx

Annie's Story

It is always wonderful to hear about a former student’s success, and I was particularly glad to hear about Annie who is now doing exceptionally well as a hairdresser in Devon.  I first took Annie on as an English student after coming back from teaching in South Korea.  She was in Year 11, disillusioned with her studies in GCSE English, and really needed a reasonable grade in order to get onto the NVQ Hairdressing Diploma course at Exeter College.  Due to Annie’s long recognised struggles in the subject, she was allowed to have a Reader to sit with her in exams and read the questions aloud, but naturally she felt quite concerned that this help would not be enough. 

Using a combination of face to face and online sessions via Skype, we worked together to improve Annie’s skills in English, prepare for the exams, and possibly most importantly boost her confidence.  With my help and her hard work and determination to succeed, she got a good enough result to be accepted onto her chosen course and get a much coveted job at the prestigious Daniel K Neaves salon in Budleigh Salterton, Devon.  This was no small achievement for a student who had by her own admission ‘given up’ on English.

This year Annie achieved her NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Hairdressing Apprenticeship following what has arguably been an exceptional journey.  Not only has she passed the 32 exams required for the course, but has made astonishing progress in her chosen career in a short time.  She has seized every opportunity that has come her way, and is even making a splash on the international hairdressing scene by taking part in a hair show in Slovakia.  She describes styling hair on stage while talking through the process in front of hundreds of people, and I can’t help but be impressed by how much of an achievement this is for someone who never thought she could do any kind of public speaking.  Annie talks about her traveling experiences as giving her perspective; ‘an eye opener, a great opportunity and fun’ and is excited at the prospect of returning to Slovakia in January, while other international destinations are on the cards. 

Also, following her boss’ ill health, she has taken on quite a lot responsibility.  When I spoke to her yesterday, she was on her way to a meeting with web developers about a new website for the salon.  She praises her boss for his progressive and forward thinking approach and the fact that her opinion is valued.  There is no doubt that Annie must be a great asset.  After all, she also won Apprentice of the Year at Exeter College earlier this year, and with a growing clientele and solid bookings until Christmas, she really is excelling in every way.

What is also wonderful to hear is the way she is now able to talk comfortably and openly about her struggles with English at school, whereas before it had been a difficult subject for her.  She tells me about her chats with clients about her progression from struggling student to a brilliant hairdresser.  And what is more, she now even reads for pleasure.

Talking to Annie, you can’t help but be impressed by her passion and enthusiasm for the job.  Her confidence is at an all-time high, and her sheer joy in doing what she loves to do is obvious and infectious.  I am proud to have been involved in a small way in helping her to achieve her dream and wish her every possible success in the future.

See it in a child's eyes

So far in the past week I've discussed hermaphroditism in snails and how they make babies, whether or not it's possible to draw in the 4th dimension, if the Lady of Shalott was cursed because she'd done something as minor as stealing an apple, why people believe in ghosts, and if Bristol has enough baked beans to fill a swimming pool.  None of these questions are easy to answer, and none of them were ones I was expecting.  As adults we too quickly forget what it's like to be a child, to have that child's curiosity about the world, to think of seemingly unconnected things when discussing a new topic, and to have that questing thirst for knowledge that all children have. 

Anyone who works with children or young people will recognise the kinds of questions I'm talking about.  It's something I come across daily as a tutor and one of the highlights of my chosen career.  It never ceases to amaze me how children get from A to D without necessarily following the seemingly logical progression of B and C.  We're talking about 'thinking outside the box'.  Children do it as a matter of course.  Their thinking is not constrained by conventions.  That's not to say that all children's ideas are inherently more worthwhile because they are uninhibitedly creative; more often than not you need convention to make things work in the real world.  However, the ability to look in less rigid directions is a useful tool for adult life.  True innovation often comes from just that.  

Why not ask the less obvious questions?  If we, as adults, can remind ourselves of how we, as children, viewed the world and our place in it, we might just come up with something truly worthy of the word 'genius'.

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not

It might seem like a rather obvious statement to make, but without confidence in learning, very little progress can be achieved.  However, it is one of those tricky things that is easy to overlook, particularly in the context of a busy classroom.  One of the first things I notice when working with a new student of any age, is the increase in confidence that they experience in just a short space of time.  Subsequently, this has a knock on effect on whatever they do in that particular subject, either at home or in the classroom.  The psychology of learning is at least as important as aptitude, and it is something I prioritise in my planning and delivery of activities.  I always have it in the front of my mind to make my lessons a time where mistakes can be made and difficulties expressed without judgement or negativity, and that improvements, however small, do not go unacknowledged. 

So how do I do this?  Personally speaking, I have never had a problem with academic learning, but I put myself in the position of the learner where possible.  I think back to something I dreaded learning, that I felt I was not good at, something that I hated learning because it did not come naturally to me.  I'm talking about learning to drive.  I've never been a practical person or confident in learning something I regard as a physical skill.  Put me in front of a book or a blank piece of paper and I am as happy as a pig in the proverbial.  Make me do a sport or put a tool or piece of equipment in my hand and I instantly feel a sense of impending failure.  And everytime I make a mistake or find something difficult, this only serves to reinforce my belief that I am "rubbish". 

Driving is one such physical skill, in that it requires a coordination of both mind and body parts.  But in spite of the nine months of two hour lessons every week, two hours where I would sometimes feel physically sick in anticipation, I persevered.  I kept going in spite of the disastrous reverse around the bends that would leave me on the wrong side of the road, the devastating hill starts at traffic lights with my fellow road users leaning on their horns in frustration, and the "Which lane now?!" panics at overcomplicated roundabout systems. 

I went through three driving instructors in that time.  The first one went a bit strange and started quoting the more dramatic parts of the Book of Revelations when I was attempting to parallel park.  The second one could not hide his look of relief when I moved house and he no longer lived close enough to me to continue with my lessons.  The third, however, was a lovely lady who was encouraging and not judgemental about my driving skills, or lack of them.  She allowed me to relax and to get things wrong, without my mistakes overwhelming me with a sense of real negativity and "rubbishness".  I took my driving test under her tutelage and passed on the second attempt.  Forget GCSEs, A Levels or degree examinations; the most gut wrenchingly nervous I've ever felt for a test of my ability was my driving test, and even now I recall my elation and relief at passing - something I felt was a major, major achievement in my life. 

Similarly, I can identify with the sense of accomplishment my students must feel when they achieve something in a subject area they believed they were "rubbish" at.  Whether that's the hand going up in class to answer questions where they would previously have been still and silent, or getting a piece of work on the wall as an example of quality where they were used to struggling, or to calmly and accurately complete a piece of homework that would previously have caused tears and anxiety - I can understand how much it means to them.  It means a great deal to me too.


Posted by The Tutor - Top of the class in English, last to be picked at Netball, 13 years behind the wheel and still no major accidents (touch wood)