Getting a Kindle...

for Matt. He carries about 8 books in his backpack, and, as a result, gets backaches - not to mention ruins every backpack in about a month or two.

I am going to let him experiment with reading electronically, and, in the process, I will too. Who knows? I may like it!

Here's the deal, however.

Matt loves to read already - anything he can get his hands on.

I was having a discussion with a fellow educator this week, and he was asking me why I don't recommend that kids read electronically, if that's what it takes to get them reading.  I firmly believe that the brain has specific neurons and development that goes along with reading books. If you don't grow those neural passages, it changes the entire make up/structure of the brain.

Now that is something to think about. Kids who are learning through technology, who have other ways of learning are DIFFERENT in their brain structure than us (those of us who learned on a chalkboard, anyway).

I don't want to hinder technology development, because, believe me, I am grateful for all the advancements we have made -- I have had four babies, and every improvement made my life amazingly easier!

I am not saying we have to do things "the old fashioned way" - but I do believe that reading (and language) is important in creating a brain that learns...period.

So, I am getting him a Kindle, but he had to show me he has mastered the basics, first.