Yeah! Its now officially summer. I'm going to try and spend some of this summer, as I know many of you other teachers are right now, reading some professional development books. The book I've chosen to read first, was Recommended from the Organized Classroom Blog Facebook feed. And if any of you haven't liked the Organized Classroom Blog Facebook Page you absolutely should its a great teaching community to be a part of.
  | So the book that I'm reading is the Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. The book is all about her approach to get kids reading and to have them love what they are reading. I'm going to be blogging about things that stand out to me in the book, things I've learned (or re-learned), and favorite quotes. If your interested in reading with me you can click on the cover of the book and go directly to Amazon to get the book yourself. Although, I'm going to admit that I got my copy from the library. |
Learning to read
The first chapter is basically about the authors experience with learning to read and her evolution of her teaching practices. While reading the chapter I realized that I've never really shared with my readers my experience with learning to read.
First of all, you should realize, that I'm not the type of person who remembers the name of each and every teacher they've ever had. I have some childhood memories of learning to read but their not exactly extensive.
As a young child, I didn't like to read. I viewed reading as school work, I thought school was boring and work as hard. So I hated to read. Now I really liked it when others read to me, either my parents or teachers, but reading by myself wasn't something I would choose to do.
During this time in my life, I do have one positive memory of learning to read and it happened because I didn't really consider it reading. One thing that you might not know about me is that I love to sing. Now I don't have an American Idol quality of talent. Singing is something I love to do and I don't completely suck at it. That was true now and it was true of me as a child. This love of singing is what helped me to learn how to read "big words."
On sheet music multisyllable words are broken up with dashes so you can sing each syllable with its note. I have fond memories of singing in church with my dad pointing to each word as we sung. This experience helped me have the capability and confidence of reading larger words.
So how did I change my attitude of hating to read to loving books? The change came when I discovered book series like Sweet Valley Twins and The Babysitters Club. I couldn't read enough of them and eventually (it took awhile) I was able to move from these to some great novels.
First of all, you should realize, that I'm not the type of person who remembers the name of each and every teacher they've ever had. I have some childhood memories of learning to read but their not exactly extensive.
As a young child, I didn't like to read. I viewed reading as school work, I thought school was boring and work as hard. So I hated to read. Now I really liked it when others read to me, either my parents or teachers, but reading by myself wasn't something I would choose to do.
During this time in my life, I do have one positive memory of learning to read and it happened because I didn't really consider it reading. One thing that you might not know about me is that I love to sing. Now I don't have an American Idol quality of talent. Singing is something I love to do and I don't completely suck at it. That was true now and it was true of me as a child. This love of singing is what helped me to learn how to read "big words."
On sheet music multisyllable words are broken up with dashes so you can sing each syllable with its note. I have fond memories of singing in church with my dad pointing to each word as we sung. This experience helped me have the capability and confidence of reading larger words.
So how did I change my attitude of hating to read to loving books? The change came when I discovered book series like Sweet Valley Twins and The Babysitters Club. I couldn't read enough of them and eventually (it took awhile) I was able to move from these to some great novels.
What I'm reading now
  | So just to let you know a little bit about my current reading interests and that its not all professional development reading I wanted to share with you what I'm currently reading. I currently reading a book by Carrie Wilkerson called The Barefoot Executive.
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I've also finished within the last month two History books, The Notorious Benedict Arnold and Charlie Wilson's War, which was about the CIA's involvement in the Russian Afghanistan conflict.
Final Thoughts
Now, I accept that I may never arrive at teaching paradise, but as long as I hold on to my love of books and show my students what it really means to live as a reader, I'll be a lot closer than I once was.
- Donalyn Miller (The Book Whisperer, Chapter 1)
I loved Donalyn Miller's closing thought for Chapter 1, and I'd like to give a shout out for all of the teachers out there who are continually trying to reach their teaching paradise by inspiring a love of books in their classrooms.
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