Reading for Personal Success and our Global Future
As we kick off 2021 in the Library, students are encouraged to consume a rich and diverse literary diet. Reading broadly helps us communicate and connect with wider networks of people and develop our Emotional Intelligence. A growing body of research has found that “success at work or in life depends on Emotional Intelligence 80% and only 20% of intellect”. Further, there is much research highlighting that the act of reading diverse fictional books cultivates a deep level of empathy. Empathy is vital not only for success at work and life, but also for our global future.
It is important for all students to see their own experiences reflected in books. It is equally important for us to understand lives very different from our own through books. For example, an able-bodied person reads about a character with a disability and not only recognises a real person with whom they can empathise, but also an awesome and interesting human being. Likewise, people with disabilities must be able to see their experiences reflected through the pages of great books. Young people who have migrated and experienced the struggles of adapting to a new culture, language and landscape need to see that their stories are worthy and wonderful. Children and teens who have experienced grief or loss can feel comforted when reading a story about a character who has navigated a similar journey of adversity.
The world is in desperate need of more compassionate people and reading diverse literature is a crucial way to develop empathy. The Library staff are always on hand to recommend books to students of all ages that will broaden their thinking. In library lessons, students are investigating their own reading preferences and identifying where there is room to diversify.