On Reading
We focus a lot on reading here at Chisholm Creek Academy, and not just because “Reading is Fundamental,” is a phrase I heard on repeat while watching television, with absolutely no sense of the irony as I was growing up.
Reading is risky business.
Reading requires effort. It demands commitment. It costs us time, attention, and concentration. Sitting with a book means choosing one thing and letting everything else wait. That is not a small ask, especially in a world designed to interrupt us every few seconds.
The effort of reading is considerable. The commitment is real. The risk is that you might get stuck, confused, bored, or challenged. You might have to slow down. You might have to think.
But the rewards pay dividends.
Unlike television, or “the boob tube” as my father and grandfather lovingly called it, reading asks something of the reader. Unlike audiobooks, which I unapologetically love and use, reading a physical book requires full presence. Your eyes have to focus on the page. Your mind needs to remain engaged. There’s no room for multitasking. It costs us something and our brains, those excellent judges of effort spent, remember what we read far better than when we listen or watch.
That is why we focus so much on books. Hard copies, pages we turn, margins you can mark. Long stretches of uninterrupted reading time where learners practice endurance, focus, and patience.
These are not just academic skills. They are life skills.
At Chisholm Creek Academy, we practice D.E.A.R. every day. Drop Everything And Read. Thirty solid minutes of uninterrupted reading time. No switching seats, no side tasks, no distractions. It is treated as sacred time.
When learners first arrive, especially those coming from more traditional or screen-heavy schooling experiences, this can be jarring. They will often pick up a book, read a few pages or a chapter, then set it down and reach for something else. Many new learners will choose, start, and abandon several books within the same thirty-minute reading period.
Their concentration is shot. They are used to short-format content, rapid scrolling, and constant dopamine hits. Sitting down to read is hard. Staying with a single text is harder.
And that is exactly why we do it.
Over time, something remarkable happens. The restlessness fades. Pages turn more steadily. Stories begin to pull them in. Learners build the muscle of attention, and with it, confidence in their ability to do hard things for longer than they thought possible.
Here are a few simple ways to make reading part of your routine at home:
Set a daily reading time and protect it. Even 15–20 uninterrupted minutes matters.
Keep physical books visible and accessible around the house.
Let your child see you read. Modeling matters more than reminders.
Create tech-free zones or times where books are the default option.
Let children choose books that genuinely interest them, even if they reread favorites.
Talk about what you’re reading together, not to quiz, but to wonder.
Reading is not passive. It is an act of courage, focus, and curiosity. And like any meaningful habit, it grows stronger with practice.