Welcome my CryptoComics Compatriots. This feels like a topic that we have trodden before, but obviously not enough. As many of you know, I am a former teacher. I also grew up struggling to read for several reasons; attention span being the top reason, followed by a lack of desire to read. 

At the age of 5, I honestly thought “As an adult, I will never have to read, I will just know things.” Yep, that was an actual thought that I remember having.

Some of my own children have struggled with the exact same thing and so I turned to comics again. Yep, comics are what got me to read. As Tony Stark said in the first Iron Man movie “That’s what dad din that’s what America does, and it’s worked out pretty well so far.”

I have fought the school board on many occasions to allow comics in schools, much to the disagreement of the literary snobs who believe that all students MUST enjoy Shakespeare and/or Jane Eyre. 

Give me a break, with all the action stimulation from movies, tv, video games, and so on my kids would rather pull out their own teeth than sit down and read those. Now, hand them DreamKeepers from David Lillie, and suddenly its quiet around the house, and as a parent, you know that this is a moment worth celebrating.

I am a firm believer in the fact that comics can be a valuable tool for education in several ways:

• IMPROVING LITERACY SKILLS: Comics can help to improve literacy skills, as they combine visual and textual elements and require readers to analyze and interpret both. Reading comics can also help to increase vocabulary and improve understanding of grammar and syntax.

• ENGAGING RELUCTANT READERS: This is where I fell in when I was a kid. Comics can be an effective way to engage reluctant readers, as they provide a combination of visual and textual elements that can be more appealing than text-heavy materials. This can make them particularly useful for students who struggle with traditional reading materials.

• ENCOURAGING CREATIVITY AND CRITICAL THINKING: Comics can encourage creativity and critical thinking, as they require readers to analyze and interpret the visual and textual elements and make connections between them. This can help to develop higher-order thinking skills and encourage students to think outside the box.

• PROMOTING CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING: Comics can be a useful tool for promoting cultural understanding, as they can provide insights into different cultures and ways of life. By reading comics from different countries and cultures, students can gain a greater understanding and appreciation of diversity.

• ENHANCING LEARNING: Comics can be used to enhance learning in a variety of subjects, as they provide a visual and engaging way to present information. They can be used to teach concepts in science, history, math, and other subjects, and can be particularly useful for visual learners.

This is only a small list of reasons to allow comics in schools that I came up with on the fly. Comics can be an important and valuable tool for education, and can be used to improve literacy skills, engage reluctant readers, encourage creativity and critical thinking, promote cultural understanding and enhance learning in a variety of subjects.

Now that you have heard my arguments as to why comics should be permitted in schools, here are just a few ways that we can incorporate comics into schools. 

1. Use comics as reading material: Comics can be a great way to engage students in reading, especially for those who may be struggling with traditional texts whether that comes from dyslexia, boredom, or an overwhelming page count.

2. Use comics to teach writing and storytelling: Students can create their own comics to practice writing and storytelling skills. (Side note to all teachers, get parent’s permission and then host a “Create A Comic” group and publish it to our marketplace in order to show the world what the next generation is capable of.)

3. Use comics to teach other subjects: Comics can be used to teach a wide range of subjects, including history, science, and social studies. English class is full of classic storytelling that is required reading. Now many of these are available in Graphic Novel formats such as Count of Monte Cristo, the Illiad, the Hobbit, 1984, Les Miserables, Macbeth, The Time Machine, and even the Art of War!

4. Incorporate comics into the curriculum: Many schools (although, not enough) have already started incorporating comics into their curriculum as a way to engage students and teach a variety of subjects.

5. Use comics for extracurricular activities: Comics can be used for extracurricular activities, such as a comic book club or a graphic novel discussion group.

Either way you go, lets get these kids reading!