Reviving bond between students and books
The reading habit is on the decline among students. Technology has exacerbated the problem. Smartphone driven lessons have made students forget what a book looks like, let alone what treasure it holds.
This apprehension was expressed by one of the teachers at the college staff meeting. His views were endorsed by other teachers and it set them on the mission to bring students back on the reading track. So, the teachers put their heads together on how to make students reclaim the lost habit of reading.
Several suggestions were put forth, many of which were unpractical. Finally, it was unanimously decided that all teachers would come up with innovative ideas to inculcate the reading habit among students. After a week, the teachers shared a whole lot of new strategies with the principal to motivate students to take to reading. The college implemented a simple but practical strategy.
Each student was asked to join a book club, launched in the college. The students were told that it was mandatory to join the club but if they did not feel comfortable with the activities that the club would undertake, they could simply quit it.
A few books were kept in a corner of the library. Every Friday, a notice would be circulated among the students, informing them that a new book had been added to the list of books in the club. But, the students of a particular class were instructed to visit the club. They were not pressurised to borrow any book or read it.
The idea did not take off in the beginning. But with the passage of time, the students started showing interest in the activity. Since the students of a particular class were asked to visit the library, it created curiosity about the books among the other students. This led to an increase in the footfall of students in the library.
They would ask about a particular book, but the librarian would not lead them to the corner where the book was kept. This was intentionally done to build curiosity among the students. The librarian’s unhelpful attitude would often frustrate the students and to overcome it, they would scan other books in the library. This made them browse through shelves of books that they hadn’t heard of. Gradually, the students started getting books issued from the library.
A freewheeling discussion on the designated book was fixed every two months to give further impetus to the well-intended objective of the college. There was a perceptible change in the reading behaviour of the students within a few months. The old unbreakable bond between students and books was not only revived but also strengthened.
Nothing is impossible. Every task that one undertakes can be taken to its logical conclusion if it is pursued with passion and honesty. It is unwise to blame technology for the decline in the reading habit among students. Out-ofthe-box ideas can certainly bring back the charm of reading.
EVERY FRIDAY, A NOTICE WOULD BE CIRCULATED AMONG THE STUDENTS, INFORMING THEM THAT A NEW BOOK HAD BEEN ADDED TO THE LIST OF BOOKS IN THE CLUB