Why Don't You Just Set Them A List Of Books To Read?

 How to keep kid's brains active during corona stay-at-home.

Honestly, I don't really understand this constant worry being voiced by teachers and parents that their kids will have lasting knowledge damage by being at home for a few weeks or months at a time. Is it really that dire and are our children so beholden to a classroom in order to grow their grey matter?

Yes, school is important but surely, a few months missed shouldn't make a life long impression? At the moment there is a heated discussion here in Austria, about whether to keep kids at home or send them to school. Apparently, those that want to send them to school don't think that they will pick up any corona bug. Eh, I wouldn't want to be at a school right now. Every household does have multiple sources of possible infection unless parents are at home 24/7.

So, what to do when pupils are at home? Why not set them homework that will benefit them for now and the rest of their lives? It might even set the pathway to a better learning outcome in future.

Reading. Reading for pleasure has been waylaid with the advent of smartphone and co. Not many kids read books for the sheer pleasure of entering another adventure, or of learning historical facts in an exciting format. 

Set a book ( by book I mean at least 300 pages ) per week to read for each kid. Any book. Stories that will ignite their interest, keep them interested and keep them occupied. After the first few books the habit will have formed and the love of reading sparked. Perhaps not for everyone but for the majority. For the rest it will be the best exercise in language and comprehension. 

It has been said that reading four or so books a month in lieu of doing  homework  has improved grades in most subjects. Isn't that what school should be about? Let's reignite the reading spark for this generation of youngsters and we all will reap the benefits in the future. The kids today will be our leaders of tomorrow....

Biggi