阅读有生命力的书籍，养成终身学习的习惯 Living books, lifelong learning

精彩的故事不仅丰富我们的知识，也会加深我们对生活的理解。阅读有感染力的文学作品可以改变我们对历史、对自己乃至对世界的理解方式。

然而，阅读伟大文学作品的习惯已经开始动摇。

阅读经典著作的习惯正在逐渐淡化。根据国家艺术基金会的数据显示，文学作品阅读量已经逐步下降至历史最低水平。这个情况重要吗？非常重要。研究表明：阅读与学术成就息息相关。高品质的书籍能将学生塑造成终身学习者。

伟大的演说家和领袖亚伯拉罕·林肯曾说过，“我想知道的东西都蕴含在书中”。英国具有影响力的教育家夏洛特·梅森在她的《自由教育的哲学》一书中写道：“世界上所有最好的思想都蕴藏在书中；我们必须鼓励孩子们尽情阅读”。最近，《今日心理学》上分享的研究报告，也证实了阅读的深远影响力。同样，著名的演说家 Alan Zimmerman 认为，阅读是“你必须做的最重要的事情之一，它能帮助你在工作和家庭中取得非凡的成功。”

诺德安达全球图书馆的创始人之一 David Robinson 也曾经说过，“阅读确实改变了人们的生活。它提高了所有学科领域的学术成果，并且经证实，还可以培养人的同理心。”

我们精选最广博的文学作品，从中汲取最丰富的宝藏。借用夏洛特·梅森女士的一句话，书籍可能是无聊的闲话，也可能是生命的叙述。闲话代表了简单化的写作，对启发批判性思维几乎毫无益处。相比之下，有生命力的书籍有助于扩展思维，升华境界，并帮助我们把握关于人性的问题。有生命的书籍有助于培养有深度的思想和学习的热情。

如果我们能敦促孩子（和自己）潜心阅读一些优秀著作，如《杀死一只知更鸟》、《瓦解》、《Passionate Observer》、《水母与蜗牛》，我们将看到孩子们的知识水平、理解力和人文关怀力呈指数增长。有价值的书不计其数。我们选择阅读有生命的文学作品的原因多种多样。这些原因共同促进了终身学习：

文学仍然是输出型学习最有效的途径之一。阅读有生命的书籍和伟大的文学作品，打开了解过去、现在和未来的大门。阅读有助于充实我们每个人的生活。

联系我们：

招生老师：赵老师，吴老师

联系电话：0513-89183800

联系邮箱：info.nantong@nasnantong.cn

学校官网：www.nasnantong.cn

学校地址：江苏省南通市苏通科技产业园区江成路99号

学校官方微博：NASNantong南通诺德安达

For most of us, treasured stories enrich memories and shape our understanding of life. Reading powerful literature can change the way we understand history, ourselves, and the world. However, the habit of reading great literature has begun to falter.

Reading great books is a fading practice. According to the National Endowment for the Arts, literary reading has declined steadily to an all-time low. Does this matter? Absolutely. As the report shows, reading correlates to educational achievement. High quality books encourage lifelong learning.

The great orator and leader Abraham Lincoln asserted “The things I want to know are in books.” In her Philosophy of Education, influential English educator Charlotte Mason wrote that “the best thought the world possesses is stored in books; we must open books to children.”  More recently, research such as that shared by Keith Stanovich in Psychology Today corroborates the profound efficacy of reading. As he affirms in a related video, “Does reading make you smarter? Yes.” Similarly, notable speaker, Alan Zimmerman argues that reading is “one of the most important things you MUST do to achieve extraordinary success at work as well as at home.”

Messages abound urging the importance of reading, including this TED talk by Lisa Bu about how books open your mind. Likewise, according to David Robinson, one of the creators of Nord Anglia’s Global Library, “Reading literally transforms lives. It boosts academic achievement in all subject areas and is proven to improve empathy.”

We derive the highest benefit by choosing the richest literature. Books might be described as either twaddle or living, to borrow a phrase from Ms. Mason. Twaddle represents simplistic writing that does little to stimulate critical thinking. In contrast, living books expand the mind, elevate the spirit, and help us grapple with meaningful questions about humanity. Living literature offers fruitful ideas and a passion for learning.

If we challenge children (and ourselves) to ingest books of merit such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Things Fall Apart, Passionate Observer, or The Medusa and the Snail, we will see exponential growth of knowledge, understanding, and humanity. The number of valuable books is countless. The reasons for reading living literature are many. Together, they promote lifelong learning:

Literature remains one of the most powerful pathways for productive learning. Read living books, great literature, and open the doors of the past, the present, and your future. Reading helps each of us develop a full life.

联系我们：

招生老师：赵老师，吴老师

联系电话：0513-89183800

联系邮箱：info.nantong@nasnantong.cn

学校官网：www.nasnantong.cn

学校地址：江苏省南通市苏通科技产业园区江成路99号

学校官方微博：NASNantong南通诺德安达