“Reading a book is not about leaving the world but entering it through another entrance.”

23 April is World Book and Copyright Day, an anniversary promoted by UNESCO to value and celebrate reading as a fundamental cultural activity in the history of humanity.

Reading to grow into aware men and women. This is well understood by the teachers and pupils of Montessori International School Oxford, who celebrated the day between writing and reviews.

Involved Junior secondary school students.

The laboratories

Year 7 pupils they held an afternoon workshop entitled: “From Gutenberg to the e-book”, elaborating on the brief history of the book and its illustrations through the various editions of a classic fantasy literature work, namely “The Wizard of Oz”.

The boys of the Second Middle School year, however, have tried their hand at writing the review of “The book that isn't there“: a book never written, an author who never existed, an ideal book of which each pupil could imagine characters, events and plots, place and time of the narrative. From their ideas will begin a “writing relay“, which will give shape to the imagined reviews, giving rise to a genuine book written by many hands.

The pupils of the Third Year, Finally, they were called to reflect on democracy and the fundamental principles of the Italian Constitution. Through the pages of the book“Long live the Constitution” by Andrea Franzoso, freedom of expression and thought as the linchpin of democracy was discussed.

The activities have met the Great enthusiasm from the boys who have shown themselves, once again, to be sensitive and aware of the importance of Culture as expressed in all its forms.

The teachers, for their part, helped the students to shape their ideas, listening to the enthusiastic insights and reflections that emerged from their dialogue like beautiful flowers in the laboratory classrooms.