"I am just feeling so inspired. Anybody reading the book feel the same?"
That was the last line of my last post about The Book Whisperer and Reading Notebooks. And Chapter 5 is all about our students catching the fever of excitement we feel about reading. We can't fake it. If we don't like reading, those watching us will know it. But if we always have our nose in a book, it's pretty evident that we think books are the way to go.
In the Self-Reflection Activity the question is posed, "What were your reading experiences as a child?"
I really don't remember reading that much as a child. It was more in high school that I caught the bug. I would read in class when I was supposed to be listening to a teacher. My friends and I were really into Danielle Steele novels, and read them all the time. I can even remember crying in class when reading Fine Things.
I don't remember any teachers reading. I don't remember any educators showing me their excitement about reading. I don't remember my mom reading to me when I was little. But I do remember my mom reading. My mom read all the time when I was a kid. She especially liked Harlequin Romances. I have to believe my mom instilled in all of her kids a love of reading, even if it was unintentional. My brother, sister and I are all avid readers. My sister is here for a visit and I asked her what she believed made her become a reader. She said, "I think just seeing mom read all the time."
Maybe we would have had a passion for reading without her influence. Or maybe her influence is the sole reason why we each have a passion for reading. If the latter is true, then I want my kids to see me reading all the time and remember, when they are adults, that their mom always had a book nearby.
Maybe that will be the one thing, the only thing, that inspires them to read. In turn, that inspires me to keep doing what I love in front of them.
Read on, mamas! Read on, teachers!
That was the last line of my last post about The Book Whisperer and Reading Notebooks. And Chapter 5 is all about our students catching the fever of excitement we feel about reading. We can't fake it. If we don't like reading, those watching us will know it. But if we always have our nose in a book, it's pretty evident that we think books are the way to go.
In the Self-Reflection Activity the question is posed, "What were your reading experiences as a child?"
I really don't remember reading that much as a child. It was more in high school that I caught the bug. I would read in class when I was supposed to be listening to a teacher. My friends and I were really into Danielle Steele novels, and read them all the time. I can even remember crying in class when reading Fine Things.
I don't remember any teachers reading. I don't remember any educators showing me their excitement about reading. I don't remember my mom reading to me when I was little. But I do remember my mom reading. My mom read all the time when I was a kid. She especially liked Harlequin Romances. I have to believe my mom instilled in all of her kids a love of reading, even if it was unintentional. My brother, sister and I are all avid readers. My sister is here for a visit and I asked her what she believed made her become a reader. She said, "I think just seeing mom read all the time."
Maybe we would have had a passion for reading without her influence. Or maybe her influence is the sole reason why we each have a passion for reading. If the latter is true, then I want my kids to see me reading all the time and remember, when they are adults, that their mom always had a book nearby.
Maybe that will be the one thing, the only thing, that inspires them to read. In turn, that inspires me to keep doing what I love in front of them.
Read on, mamas! Read on, teachers!
I sure hope you are onto something there. My boys don't get excited at all about reading and it really bothers me. I didn't become an avid reader until I was about 25. I sure hope it doesn't take them THAT long, but I have to believe it'll all click one day.
ReplyDeleteMy mom read her Bible every single morning as the sun was coming up. It's one of those precious memories I have of her. She was diligent and it inspired me to do the same.
I've enjoyed your post sharing about this book. I'm gonna have to look into it myself.