With the goal of being able to express their own answers in their own words, students are actively engaged in reading activities. Each morning after arriving at school, the entire school takes part in a dedicated reading time.
There are many reasons why adults recommend reading:
- Because it’s fun
- Because you can encounter different ways of thinking
- Because you can relive a wide variety of experiences
- Because it strengthens kanji reading and writing skills
- Because it develops imagination
- Because it helps you gain knowledge
The answers vary from person to person. One designer who said they read nearly 200 books in a year shared:
“Reading strengthens reading and writing skills, enhances imagination, and allows you to experience emotions you don’t usually encounter in everyday life. I think it’s all good things. And simply put, it’s fun.”
The Yumenomori school building is designed with bookshelves at its center, creating an environment where children can easily pick up a book at any time. Books they want to read can be kept in their lockers or on their personal ‘My Best’ bookshelves.
~Students’ own answers~ (Older students)
- Because it’s interesting
- Because I can learn words I don’t know
- Reading is my hobby
- Because I want to improve my reading comprehension
- Because I can increase my knowledge
- Because I want to develop my Japanese language skills
- Because I can learn about worlds and expressions I don’t know, and about many different people
- A time to free my mind
The children read while holding their own individual reasons for doing so. We hope that throughout their long lives, they will make good use of the choice to read books.
