To Read

April 13, 2008

I'm a reader, by nature. I don't remember not knowing how to read. I don't even remember that ah-ha moment of "oh, THAT's how to do that." I just read. There are pictures of me, quite young, like 2, looking through a magazine... not ripping (not reading either, but...). I've spent many pleasant hours reading, and imagining and being all those other characters, at least for a while. I've often found that during the school year slows down as other school related tasks take the available time. Also, as many of you know or remember, having small children can take your reading time as well. Recently (like, oh, the past 5 years) I haven't read nearly as much as I normally do.

This semester, I have been working with students who among other things, need help with their reading skills, as I have talked about before. Well, I found as I tried out the software my students were using, that my skills had rusted a bit as well. Oh, sure, I pegged the vocabulary section. Anyone who knows me won't be surprised a bit at that. The there are the reading speed exercises. I DIDN'T peg those. But I have taken the time to practice them, while my students are working on theirs. Guess what? It helps!

So recently, I've been READING!!! Joyously, happily, even - dare I say - speedily. It feels great, to once again be in touch with the to-read pile of books that I had kind of lost track of. Even more, I am excited to do some of the school related reading (ahh the joys of lit class) and thinking of very cool activities to do with them. I mean, the next time I'm teaching senior English, The Canterbury Tales are going to be a lot more interesting! And research is - I think - going to be a lot less painful, at least for me... ha ha. I think I just shifted my brain into a higher gear that I had forgotten about, and it feels great! Reading is definitely on the to-do list again!