Slow Reading as Collaborative Art

Many years ago Robert Schwartz, Professor of Fine Art at Ohio State University, taught me that art happens in the mind.  The expression that follows is simply craft.  Some people achieve greater success with the craft than others, but all people are wired to create.  His explanation has profoundly effected the way I view others.  I find myself always looking for the outward expression of the inward art.

Based on Schwartz's explanation, I believe reading is a collaborative art form.  The creation of art tends to be a solitary activity, so the collaborative nature of reading as art is unusual.  The writer creates a story and produces text.  The reader decodes the text and creates meaning.  As such, the art produced by the author is not finished until it has been read.  Furthermore, each reader will create unique meaning by adding his or her perspective.  The process is limited only by the number of people who choose to read a particular book.  But is all created meaning, and by extension all reading, equally artistic?  No.

John Miedema, author of Slow Reading, makes a wonderful argument for the type of slow reading characterized by rapt attention usually reserved for pleasure reading.  He is clear that there are many ways to read slowly.  It is not the same for every reader.  However, when individuals are permitted to read at what Miedema calls a "reflective" or "voluntary pace", richer meaning is created.

Is reading at a slower pace reasonable in the 21st Century?  We are constantly bombarded with information that requires us to read.  Perhaps, a balanced approached is best.  Miedema points out that not all texts must be approached slowly.  But some should.  The choice of what to read slowly is at the discretion of the reader.  The reader will more thoroughly synthesize what is read, which will result in a more meaningful expression of the knowledge created.

So, what does this mean for the classroom?  I think it is important that educators not overwhelm students with copious amounts of reading.  At the same time, we must help them practice techniques to quickly and effectively scan texts for information.  A balanced approach is necessary and appropriate.
Students must be trained to read slowly and deconstruct layers of meaning.  Teaching active reading skills is one way to accomplish this.  Highlighting and making notes in the margins are simple active reading techniques.  Unfortunately, students cannot make use of these tools with school owned textbooks.  Photo copies can be used for short passages.  Another highly interactive form of reading is done through the use of e-readers and on-line texts that can be highlighted and annotated by the student.  Technology may actually help teachers to slow student reading and increase comprehension, synthesis, and meaning creation.
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