TSL Educator Blog

I originally had my thoughts organized and ready to go a few weeks ago on this topic. Then I read, “A Thomas Jefferson Education” by Oliver DeMille (2009). This could be required reading for any one who is concerned with education…teachers, administrators, parents, students!! Really, go get it. It’s what to read.

Any way, depending on the current level of your reading now, what to read can be different.

If you do not read anything now, read something, anything!!! Make 15 minutes to read every day into your schedule. It takes about 21 days of repetitious activity to make a new habit, so don’t be frustrated. Find something on a topic you enjoy and read it. DeMille makes the point in his book, and you probably know this already, too, that you want to learn those things that are interesting for you. Take a magazine, take a newspaper, take a comic book; just start reading. Once you have a habit of reading every day for 15 minutes, you will have the desire to delve into deeper material and you will move up into informative information like news magazines, book, or even novels for entertainment.

If you currently read only occasionally, or what I like to call, a social reader, make time every day for 15 minutes to read. What works best for you? 15 minutes before bed is what many people do. I fall asleep if I do that so I read for 15 minutes first thing in the morning (more on that later). Again, make it a habit and you won’t regret it. Be absorbed in a story, be involved in learning and it will change your entire outlook on your day, those around you, and your life.

If you have read before, but nothing interests you right now to continue reading, try self-help, type books. I don’t know what to call them, but if you like airplanes, read magazines and books that will TEACH you more about airplanes. If you have children read books about raising children and their personalities. If you are married, read a relationship book (yes men, you too!). You will find that when you learn something and can APPLY it to your immediate life, there is more enjoyment to what you read because it has immediate benefit to you. That will become your motivation to read: what can reading do for me?

Back to “A Thomas Jefferson Education”. DeMille’s purpose in writing the book is to say that we have no great leaders among us today because we are not educating them to be leaders. Now, whether you care about leadership education or not, he gives you some interesting things to read–the classics!! What are the classics? I’m glad you asked!! Classics were created by great teachers to be experienced. They will be inspiring to you and you will be motivated to learn; to learn anything. The classics have us looking into great minds. They have us comparing their situation to ours. The classics enlighten our minds to new ideas. The classics make us think for ourselves while we read.

Great! Classics? Too hard; too long; too boring!!! Well, try these on for size, my fellow educators. Then watch your Golden Age of Education come alive!!
The Bible; The Declaration of Independence; The Constitution of the United States of America; Aesop’s Fables; “Casey at the Bat”; A Christmas Carol; Dr. Seuss Series; The Emporer’s new Clothes; The Gift of the Magi; “Lincoln, the Man of the People”; The Little Engine that Could; “Paul Revere’s Ride”; The Song of Hiawatha; The Ugly Duckling. Of course, these are some easier books. Graduate into a harder level by reading these.
Animal Farm; the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin; The Deerslayer; “In Flanders Fields”; Gulliver’s Travels; Hamlet; Island of the Blue Dolphins; Little Men; Little Women; “O Captain, My Captain”; The Phantom Tollbooth; The Real Thomas Jefferson; Stuart Little; “Ulysses”.

ENJOY!!!!

First off I would like to apologize to any teachers and professors to whom I lied to. Sorry

My personality is of such that if you tell me to do something, I won’t do it. I guess I always figured that if I was told to do something that the other person would benefit and I wouldn’t. They would get work out of me and I’d be tired. Or, worse yet, they would tell me to do something and it would be of no benefit to anyone–especially me!! Plus, do they really know what they are talking about??

Parenthetical paragraph is inserted here: I guess that is one reason why I became a teacher. Useless, repetitive, pointless homework assignments just had to stop!! Or at least I would tell my students why it was beneficial for them in the short term or the long run. If any students are reading this I hope you have seen my point as I taught you and piled on the homework over the years.

So anyway, I remember doing SRA reading in grade school. Fun stories, but nothing memorable. One day in 5th grade I was goofing around in class and the teacher (Thanks Mr. Grant!) told me to go to the library. Why do I remember this? It made an impact!! I had recently become enthralled with all things World War II. Now here was my opportunity to CHOOSE what I WANTED to read. I was haphazardly skimming through the shelves and came upon the book by Ian Serraillier Escape from Warsaw. I believe I searched for years and years to find a book as good as that–good story–plot I enjoyed–EDUCATIONAL–entertaining.

Than came high school. Well, I was ambitiously lazy. I tried everything to get out of doing work. I talked with my classmates to learn about books and stories we were to read. I read and traded “Cliff’s Notes”. I carefully chose my way through true and false tests and multiple guess questions. But I was not MOTIVATED to read. You couldn’t make me read. I wasn’t going to read. By the way, I developed my auditory learning skills very well at this time. I also dabbled with visual learning skills by watching the movie version of the book or novel.

Then came college. I had to read some stuff, I’m sure. There is no way to get through Children’s Literature class or American Literature class without it. But I don’t remember reading much of anything. If I did, I’m sure I skimmed and read enough to at least pass. But I don’t remember what I read.

Than one day, a guy I barely knew, someone who I had met and talked to for only an hour, gave me a book to read. “This book is different information. You’ll love it. I know it woke me up. I was never TAUGHT this kind of stuff before!”, said Dave. So I did. I read Paul Zane Pilzer’s The Next Millionaires. It became the first book, probably since 5th grade, that I read cover to cover. The information in there was incredible. Things I never new. I researched that information on-line to verify it, I discussed them with other people, and wonder of wonders–I recommended it to someone else.

Now to recap: why read? I read for information. I get educated. As I always say; “What is the difference between those who can’t read and those who won’t read? NOTHING!!! If experience is the best teacher than someone else’s experience is an even better teacher!

What does this information get me? Does it make me rich? Does it make me a better person? Which one is more valuable? Self-improvement is the goal. When I become better I am using God’s blessings to the fullest. I can make someone’s life better. I will make a room better with my entrance than with my exit (mull that one over a second). I have increase my influence. I have uncovered a part of God’s purpose for my life!! I can leave a legacy.

Now the keys to reading (review the bold words above): Interest–something I wanted to read about; Edification–why the book is good; why someone might think I would like it; Education–Don’t waste my time with enjoyment; what can it teach me; Motivation–what will it teach me? Is it new? How will this make me a better person?

If experience is the best teacher in life, than someone else’s experience is even better. John Wooden was 92 years old when he wrote his book, “Wooden”. Being ambitiously lazy, I can take a 92 year short cut to his goal of success. Yes, John Wooden is more successful than me. What a shock. I know, I didn’t believe it either But here is the point; he is successful as a better person. A man I could strive to be like. Oh, he is not Jesus, but he is someone who has lived on this earth and made himself a better person to make others better and make the world better. That is influence. That is legacy.