Rector Writes | The Power of Reading

Like many educators, I read a lot. Staying abreast of educational research and trends is critical, and subsequently, I am a frequent subscriber to newsletters, journals, and peer chat threads. But as much as I enjoy being a lifelong learner, I also read for pleasure every day. I was a precocious early reader as a child, and visits to our local library formed some of my earliest memories. My initial commitment to daily reading stemmed from another lifelong habit of taking an extraordinarily long time to fall asleep. My late mother frequently told the story that I did not sleep through the night until I was almost five years old, which, although an exaggeration, embraced my struggle to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep.

Relief only came when I became a fluent reader. My mother piled books by my bed, left my bedside lamp on a low setting, and left me to it. The books I immersed myself in would eventually lull me to sleep. Each book allowed me to switch off my excited, active brain, focus on one story, and lose myself in that particular fictional world. As time went by, reading became my nightly joy, knowing that each book would take me away from the day, allowing my brain to slow down and eventually switch off. 

To this day, this routine stays with me. I have remained someone with a busy, active brain, and yet my nightly reading rarely fails to turn down the pressures from my day. While it may sometimes take an hour or two of reading to reach this calmness in body and mind, this technique never fails. The same is true when I feel a particularly challenging situation engulfing me and filling my thoughts. Often, I will break away from a difficult problem and take an hour to read. Rarely does immersion in the different world of a book not shed new light on seemingly dark troubles or infuse a complicated situation with fresh energy. 

As well as benefiting immeasurably from the calm that my reading habits provide, I am additionally gifted by the mark that so many wonderful books leave on me. I reread old favorites every year or two, and reopening Jane Eyre is like greeting an old and beloved friend. One of my current favorite questions to students and teachers is, “Which book do you wish you could read again, but for the first time, and why?” I hope that these questions can provoke some conversation for you and your family, too. 

As the parent of two teenagers, I am all too aware that late-night phone scrolling has replaced late-night reading. Gone are the days of sneaking a flashlight under the covers to read after you were supposed to be asleep. Exposure to the blue light has replaced the need for a flashlight, and the screens often glow well into the early hours of the morning. The scrolling and toggling between high-energy mini-videos, reels, or photographs is a far cry from the soothing immersion into a book’s developing plot. Surely, it is time to reclaim the lost art of reading for pleasure (especially at night); the benefits are exceptionally well researched and documented. 

Daily reading for pleasure (from a book, not from a meme or TikTok text) is closely linked to improved well-being, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills across all ages. Even a commitment to a short daily read can reduce stress and promote relaxation. During a period of focused reading, heart rate slows, and muscle tension decreases. This effect is further enhanced by reading for pleasure, outside of schoolwork. Reading at bedtime helps one fall asleep faster and improves one's overall sleep quality. Reading fiction has been known to improve and increase emotional awareness and empathy. Experiencing characters in fiction promotes a deeper understanding of others’ perspectives and experiences. Regardless of demographic and socioeconomic circumstances, reading for pleasure is linked to boosted self-esteem and higher overall feelings of happiness. When you consider these immeasurable benefits, it is hard to deny that reading for pleasure is a “no-brainer” on all fronts. 

Still more research shows that personal reading for pleasure improves memory, expands vocabulary, increases cultural awareness, encourages critical thinking and mental flexibility, and boosts overall academic achievement. Those who read for pleasure are also more likely to be better at prioritizing and more confident in making difficult decisions. It’s a simple fact: reading for pleasure is good for the heart, brain, and soul. 

When we consider the well-documented facts that late-night phone scrolling disrupts sleep, overstimulates the brain, and frequently induces stress and anxiety, it is clear to see the stark contrasts between the two activities. While we want to teach our children healthy phone habits, removing phones at night may not be practical for families or schools. However, we can — and should — extol the virtues of an alternative nighttime activity. A trip to the library, or a few clicks on a website, can bring the world of reading back into your student’s life in the next few days. 

The gift of a book, or even a family read, encourages increased investment in reading and the incentive to gain some of the many benefits of regular reading. As we head closer to the holiday season and gift-giving creeps into our minds, you may ask yourself what kind of book your child might really enjoy. Perhaps you may ask them the last time they read a whole book for pleasure. Maybe you can share the list of benefits of reading, particularly if they are feeling anxiety about school, or aren’t sleeping well. And while teenage resistance to new ideas (although regular reading is hardly “new”!) is typical and normal, perhaps this blog may give you a new perspective on what your child may gain if they constantly have a book (or two!) on their nightstand in the future!