Reading in the Wild Reflection

     I missed the first cyperPD so I will share my thoughts thus far in the book.  While first reading this book, a quote stuck out to me.

     "The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one lives with another who shares the same books."

     I have never been a reader and never really thought I would be a reader.  I was never a great reader in school.  I received A's and B's and participated in class.  I was good at pretending to know what I needed to know.  In high school, I found two teachers who really cared about me and I learned to care for reading and writing, but I still really struggled with it myself.  In college I was good with the papers because I was interested in the topics.  Now as a teacher, I feel like I am so behind.  I should know the content of the books they are reading.  I should have read the books they were reading.  I feel SO behind.  I don't want to be a fake teacher and I have really been working on that this year.  I want to share that world with my students.

     I would love to start my day by visiting www.wonderopolis.org.  I think that is a great way to pull the students into the school day and get them excited to learn.

    I am hoping that students will want to post the titles they have read above the library this year.  I think it will get them excited to read the books that their classmates are reading.  With teaching two different classes, it would allow them to see what they are reading as well.

     When it comes to talking about a library, I like that it is "our" library instead of "my" library.  I want the students to make the rules of library and how to use the books.  Anything that can make students take ownership is so worth doing.  After all, it's not mine, it's theirs.

     I am planning on doing a whole genre study at the beginning of the school year and letting my students reorganize our classroom library, the way that they see fit.  Our school is all about AR, but our principal is willing to see other ways of reading.  I look forward to see the difference in the selection process.

     I am so excited for our graffiti wall this year.  Kids constantly movie quote in my classroom. I am hoping to change that culture in my room to "book quotes."

    I know I need to be more purposeful with my students over breaks.  If we discussed our reading plans together, I think it will hold all of us more accountable.  I know that I never ever, ever want to let down my students and that usually means that I do to much, buy to much, create to long, or stay up to late.  So, I know if I have discussed my plans with them, and they have with me, then more of us might stick to those plans.

I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts.  I am absolutely ready to jump into teaching at the beginning of August because of Donalyn Miller.  I have devoured both of her books in the last month and listened to her at the All-Write conference.  I have a different view on reading and a different view of teaching reading.  I want to consider myself a reader and I am working on that professionally and personally.