Readers are leaders.
For my students to be strong adults they must have a firm reading foundation. I
have found that in order to inspire my students to read they have to know that
I read too. Why do something if the
person who tells you to do it doesn’t?
By creating a reading environment in my classroom where the students and
I as the teacher talk about what we read I am instilling the love of reading in
my students.
I LOVE
to read. I read for pleasure every night
at home after my kids are in bed. While
my personal children see that I read, the children in my classroom may not have
parents who read. In their minds adults
may not read for pleasure. When I talk
to my kids in the classroom, at lunch, before school about what they are
reading I can also tell them what I read.
One day I had a child say, “Wait!
You read too?” Yes, I do. When a child reads for pleasure, and sees that
adults also read for pleasure, they will grow as readers. Reading follows you even as you grow. I am not trying to teach my students to be
readers for the 10 months they are in my classroom, but readers for life.
I agree with you Rachel!!! Amen on your students possibly not seeing their own parents read at home. I am sure that is the case with several of mine. It is important that they see their teacher read...so they know the value we see in our reading as well as their's!! I don't remember ever seeing my teachers read in class....but thankfully I came from a home where reading was important and I knew that!
ReplyDeleteHow awesome is it that you are talking to your students about what they are reading. I love how even though you are a Science and Social Studies teacher, you know that you are a "reading" teacher as well. If are trying to "grow" our students into global, literate citizens, we are all in this together! You sharing your reading life with your students will help foster a relationship with them that they will carry with them forever! Have you thought of reading a book one of your struggling readers is reading? The shared reading experience would open up a whole level of dialogue with them, as well as give you a common bond! If they are reluctant to read at times, they may be more eager to read it if they know you are home reading the same chapter! Let me know if you decide to do this. I would love to hear how it goes!
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteReaders are Leaders! I know from personal experience how much you love to read and it has blessed me throughout the years of our friendship and our family that we have shared a love of books and passed many back and forth. This type of legacy is one that I want all of our students to have...a network of people who love them and love to read and support them through providing choices, feedback, and time to read and read widely. Having these authentic conversations about what we read and what we learn from it can enrich a lunch conversation, a walk down the hall, and can help foster a lifelong love for reading in all of our students. Thanks, Dawn