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[P-Nutty]

ninja

ninja

I have just started reading books again however I do not often find a good book that I will sit down and read for more than an hour.

ninja

ninja

 

[stevetom]

in my case, it isnt TV that draws me away from the books i used to read constantly as a kid. the sick irony of it is that it is this computer that pulls me away, the one i'm typing on right now. i miss the reading that i loved so much, but that isnt to say that i dont, i just dont read nearly as much as i used to. of course, thats understandable for growing up as you bear more responsibility and have less free time.  

[[-True Illusion-]]

Caine1035

There's no incentive for kids to be reading anymore. Before, people read because there wasn't much else to do. Now kids have video games, computers, the internet etc. No room for books anymore.

I don't necessarily think it's something for the schools to solve either. Parents could do a lot better at parenting nowadays. They need to stop trying to be their kids' best friends, and be their kids' parents.

Very true...I've noticed that a lot (the thing about parents) My parents are my friends but they know when to be strict. Some parents just don't. They aren't strict enough, letting their kids run around doing whatever they want to.  

[DarkElf27]

Caine1035

There's no incentive for kids to be reading anymore. Before, people read because there wasn't much else to do. Now kids have video games, computers, the internet etc. No room for books anymore.

I don't necessarily think it's something for the schools to solve either. Parents could do a lot better at parenting nowadays. They need to stop trying to be their kids' best friends, and be their kids' parents.

I agree with this whole-heartedly. Parents don't discipline their children anymore, and kids run with it.  

[lola_siannodel]

DarkElf27

Caine1035

There's no incentive for kids to be reading anymore. Before, people read because there wasn't much else to do. Now kids have video games, computers, the internet etc. No room for books anymore.

I don't necessarily think it's something for the schools to solve either. Parents could do a lot better at parenting nowadays. They need to stop trying to be their kids' best friends, and be their kids' parents.

I agree with this whole-heartedly. Parents don't discipline their children anymore, and kids run with it.

Half of the parents are too lenient (sp?), so their kids do whatever they want because they can, and get drunk, laid, and high at 12 years old.

Of course, there are some parents that are too strict, and the kids just want to get away and cause problems because they can't.

Other kids are just plain out ignored, their parents not giving a rat's a** about whether they're being good or being bad.

Still, other kids have good parents, but just don't listen. I have to admit, I can be like that sometimes with my parents, but only about things like "Don't leave the house when we're not home" and "No going to the milk box or Rita's" (The milk box is a conveiniece store right outside my neighboorhood. Rita's is right outside my neighboorhood, too. The problem is, I have to croos this busy street that wasn't exactly made for pedestians.) But I never get high, drunk, or laid like other kids. I never go to parties, and I hardly go to the mall with friends, which is unheard of among most fo the kids at my school. First thing they think is that I have no friends. Problem is, my parents don't really want to drive me to the mall, so my friends parents would have to drive me if I wanted to go with them. I guess I'm too consumed by the Internet to really go anywhere, plus I never hear of any parties, really.  

[Ghurdrich]

As for the parents being too lenient, I would like to direct people's attention HERE. I find myself sharing much the same views, (Though perhaps not to such an extent,) as this man, who is a hero among men. The first bit of the article expresses very clearly my views on children and society today. The last bit, with the various techniques, I find just humorous, though I would not say that such acts would be above me, if it ever became necessary.

As for reading nowadays, Why is it that I am the only person in my english class that can read shakespeare as a STATEMENT? I've just started Romeo and Juliet, and when the teacher announces that it is time to read aloud, people groan. That, I can relate to, however I at least try to read it right. Shakespeare is not a series of questions, people, it is a conversation. Just like one nowadays, only without the "Omigawd, I got, like, so drunk last night, and I nailed, like five girls." Anyways, I've ranted enough for now, but I'll probably be back.  

[Kohy]

I disagree on the whole schooling part being a problem with children's disability to read.

When we think of school, we need to remember there is a syllabus that needs to be completed. Teachers come together to chose the books to be read in their Literature class, not just to have the children read but to help them read a novel and understand it. Some books nowadays don't allow the children to use this skill, for when asked a question, such as in the play Macbeth:

'What was the importance of Duncan and Banquo being used in the play and what are your views on the characters', we are expected to know these things from reading the book, even though the information isn't laid out infront of us.

They may be 'boring' but they're important and if you truly enjoy reading, you could make a book that seems to be a bore more exciting.

I happened to love literature class because for some books that never interested me, I gained an acceptance for them due to my classmates.

Maybe its just my school, I mean I'm in an all girls school here, but all 26 of us loved Macbeth, as well as Crick Crack Monkey which we did last term, and we're also enjoying the Glass Menagerie which we have started this term....

I do believe however that with technology, reading was put off on the side, as a fall back on when there's no electricity or so forth.  

[`^Gothic-Hippie^`]

I think that a lot of the problems with reading and such is that video games and the internet are faster and aren't so boring. I don't believe that all books are boring but yeah, some are. Oh yeah I read Flowers for Algernon and that was a really good book. Sorry, I have a problem with jumping from subject to subject.
I'm an A student and am congradulated on getting a C or better on any test. Am I the only one to think this pathetic?
People can be so frustrating sometimes...  

[iMUFFIN HOAR]

Yami no Hitokiri

I think they should let students pick the books they want to read instead of assigning them. The only books I read assigned that I even remember now are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Red Pony and a story about a kid named Jesse who runs away to live in the Catskills Mountains and tames a falcon.

Number 1: The only book that I was assigned in English class that I actually finished was To Kill A Mockingbird, too. This was 20 something years ago.
Number 2: The book with the kid who runs to the Catskills is called My side of the Mountain and I read that, too, but it wasn't assigned.
Number 3: You are right, student should have the option of choosing the books they read.  

[iMUFFIN HOAR]

Sachiko13

Caine1035

There's no incentive for kids to be reading anymore. Before, people read because there wasn't much else to do. Now kids have video games, computers, the internet etc. No room for books anymore.

I don't necessarily think it's something for the schools to solve either. Parents could do a lot better at parenting nowadays. They need to stop trying to be their kids' best friends, and be their kids' parents.

very true. this is also why i am one of the few polite people at my school: my mom is my mom, not my friend. there is plenty of time to be your child's best friend when they are grown, but when you're raising them, you need to have some guts. people who can't say "no" to their kids make me sick.

I believe a parent can be both a parent and a friend! My mom was one of my best friends while I was growing up and now I am my kids' friend.
And a love of reading is the parents responsiblity, not the schools. My mom taught me to love books and reading and I taught my kids, who are just as avid readers as I am.  

[iMUFFIN HOAR]

SilverMaple

The books we have to read at school are horrible. My teacher once picked a book on ***** that apparently won some sort of prize. It's about a sixteen year-old boy in military school during World War II if I remember, who falls in love with his teacher's wife, and they end up having sex... a lot. eek My classmates were mortified at how... I believe he was describing an orgasm at one point, but I am definitely not sure sweatdrop Now that's why my classmates didn't want to read the schoolbooks any more. confused

eek mad That teacher should be reported! And fast! It's just so...wrong!  

[iMUFFIN HOAR]

gothic_hippie06

I think that a lot of the problems with reading and such is that video games and the internet are faster and aren't so boring. I don't believe that all books are boring but yeah, some are. Oh yeah I read Flowers for Algernon and that was a really good book. Sorry, I have a problem with jumping from subject to subject.
I'm an A student and am congradulated on getting a C or better on any test. Am I the only one to think this pathetic?
People can be so frustrating sometimes...

I love video games, the Internet, TV and movies a lot, but I also love to read! I don't think one or any should be ignored for any of the others! And my kids are the same!  

[MadnessFreak]

SilverMaple

The books we have to read at school are horrible. My teacher once picked a book on ***** that apparently won some sort of prize. It's about a sixteen year-old boy in military school during World War II if I remember, who falls in love with his teacher's wife, and they end up having sex... a lot. eek My classmates were mortified at how... I believe he was describing an orgasm at one point, but I am definitely not sure sweatdrop Now that's why my classmates didn't want to read the schoolbooks any more. confused

Shoot me in the face...I laughed.