It is easy to overlook the pleasure of reading for enjoyment in an academic setting when tests, grades, and report cards frequently take center stage. But reading outside of textbooks is a hidden educational powerhouse that has little to do with memorizing facts or doing assignments. Students who read novels that are not required by their curriculum, particularly young girls, open up a world of empathy, creativity, critical thinking, and self-discovery.
At our school, we’ve seen firsthand how encouraging girls to read outside of school has helped them grow as individuals, both emotionally and intellectually. Let’s examine why it’s important and how we can support the development of this valuable habit.
The introduction and reinforcement of academic concepts are the textbook’s specialized functions. Their language depth and vocabulary, however, are constrained. Students are exposed to a variety of sentence structures, descriptive phrases, idiomatic expressions, and cultural references through reading fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and even comics, which textbooks frequently overlook.
Youngsters who read widely typically write and speak with greater assurance. They acquire an instinctive grasp of tone, subtlety, and flow, as well as a natural sense of grammar that is difficult to express or teach, but is acquired through reading.
When a child reads a novel, they create a whole universe in their imagination, rather than simply following a plot. Every narrative lets kids imagine lives beyond their own, whether it’s about a young inventor who makes a flying bike, a girl who solves mysteries, or a historical account of a female freedom fighter.
Reading about people who overcome obstacles, think creatively, and break down barriers can have a lasting impact, especially on girls. Unlike textbooks, these stories provide role models who resemble them and teach resilience.
Children can put themselves in other people’s shoes through books. Students can experience a range of emotions, from loneliness and bravery to miscommunication, joy, and heartbreak, through the pages of a novel. They discover that others share their ideas and feelings, even if they are physically different or live far away.
This profound and compassionate understanding is among the most crucial life skills a child can learn. Building emotional intelligence through reading is easy and essential, especially in a time when it’s often a better indicator of success than IQ.
Distractions abound in today’s world. Children can learn to focus and be conscious when they are allowed to read without distractions, such as notifications, swipes, or likes. Their attention span lengthens as they read more.
In addition to helping children on tests, this capacity for sustained concentration also prepares them for other tasks that require perseverance, such as writing a thesis, learning a musical instrument, or tackling challenging projects at work.
Girls start to develop their own beliefs when they read a range of viewpoints, from science fiction to feminist essays. They might criticize specific ideas, agree with others, or be motivated to develop entirely original ideas. They are empowered to challenge the world around them rather than simply accept it as it is, as a result of this critical interaction with knowledge. This results in deeper conversations, more reflective writing, and confident presentations in an educational context.
Representation is important. Girls start to discover new possibilities for themselves when they read stories with strong, complex female characters. Fantasy novels with strong female protagonists, such as R.J. Palacio’s Wonder, Sudha Murty’s stories, or Malala Yousafzai’s autobiography, inspire the process of defining one’s identity while being entertaining. In a Mumbai girls’ school, where young minds are still forming ideas about who they are and what they can become, this kind of exposure is life-changing.
Stereotypes can also be dispelled by reading. There is no such thing as a “boy’s subject” or a “girl’s career,” as girls discover when they read about women succeeding in activism, science, athletics, or entrepreneurship. Speaking out in class, pursuing unorthodox goals, and taking chances both personally and academically are all more common among them.
Parents play a crucial role in nurturing the reading habit. Here’s how they can support it:
Reading should always feel like a ticket to intriguing places rather than a punishment or a duty.
In addition to imparting information, the most significant ability we can instill in our students is the motivation to continue studying. The first step in that lifetime journey is reading. Exams are by no means the end of it, nor does it stop at the school gate.
At the Top Girls School in Mumbai, it’s essential to foster a love of reading outside of textbooks. It encourages more empathetic citizens, better communicators, and more critical thinkers. Let’s look past the markings and explore the narratives that have shaped our identities.