Why comics?

There seems to be a spat of comics relating to reading in the past couple of days. i spotted some from Baby Blues and will be posting them up shortly. i love reading comics. often, they capture our idiosyncrasies so succinctly and to the point.

i remember the tv guide was the first thing that i learnt to read. i'd look out for "cartoons" to see what time they'd be shown on tv and then i'd turn to the comics section. Over time, the words started to make sense and i've been hooked on comics since then. From Beetle Bailey, Andy Capp, Born Loser to Snoopy, Calvin and Hobbes ... etc

Some teachers commented recently that their school children are all reluctant readers and they have no idea on how to help them. Sometimes i think that reading in school is deemed more as a chore than pleasure. Look at it this way, would you want to read if the teacher is breathing down your neck on wat you read and that you'd have to do a report?

Once i had to do a book report in primary 5 and i chose to present Wizard of Oz. A unabridged version if i might add. It was a really thick book and had so many words in it. The silly teacher dismissed it and said that it wasn't a proper book and was a kid's tale. i was chided in front of everyone and boy.. did i hate that feeling. Of cos i had to pick another book (i forgot wat's the title). Till this date, i can't figure out what her objections were. i think that to her, it was a kiddish read cos the story is for the younger children and was so familiar to everyone. Maybe that's the reason why i have never started on Alice in Wonderland and The Lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. BTW, i plan to read them soon. Managed to get copies from a recent book sale.

Seems that teachers in Singapore still have that kind of mentality... wat's a proper reading material and what's not. i say to hell with that.. just give them anything with words on them. Learning and developing a love to read take to shape in incremental stages and often over time. If teachers aren't aware of that, who is?