We will always be advocates for students to read. Research has shown that student learning is improved by regular and frequent reading, but it is also a way to build emotional intelligence in children, as well.
In the linked article from Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, author Katy Bowman shares ways that parents can encourage reading, find good books for their children, and talk to them about what they are reading to build empathy, understanding, and greater sense that they are not alone. As shared in the article,
“Books are fantastic for teaching empathy, because you can’t live every life, but by reading books, you inhabit the lives of different characters and explore different worldviews without the risk,” said Michelle Muratori, senior counselor at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY).
As parents, we can model good reading habits, but reading in front of our children, taking time as a family to put devices away and read together, and to read a shared story aloud (yes, even at MS age!).
It’s also a great way for students to connect again with their home cultures and native language(s) .
The ideas in the article are the kind of work that our English teachers do regularly with students, as they also study the “moves” authors make to tell a story. We hope that the article provides you with some strategies at home to encourage emotional intelligence in your children too.