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First Grade Reading Loft
Some of my earliest memories of reading were in the reading loft in my first grade classroom. Climbing up the ladder into a carpet, lamp-lit nook with pillows and beanbags, and bookshelves full of picture books. It was the center everyone wanted, and you treasured your time in there. -
Influences
Reading influences came from school. I saw my parents read, and my father write on his typewriter, but unfortunately, have no memories of them reading to me. Luckily, school encouraged my love of reading. -
Fourth Grade Book Swaps
My friends and I, who all loved to read, discovered the Goosebumps series by R.L. Stein, and The Baby-Sitters' Club by Ann M Martin. We collected, traded, and discussed. We loved the characters, and how the stories built on each other. We felt like "grown up" readers, reading series books. -
Fifth Grade Student Helper
As fifth graders, we could be "helpers" in another area of the school. I chose my beloved first grade classroom. My favorite part of my job- organizing the bookshelves and students' readers. -
Deciding I Would Be an Author
In seventh grade, among the drama of middle school crushes and awkward school dances, I decided my diary just wasn't enough. I would write a book about teenage "love-" or whatever it was. I remember getting to the second chapter before writer's block, and self-consciouness, set in. -
Espanol
My first experience with a foreign language. In eighth grade, I took Spanish for HIgh School credit. I was able to read and speak the language, to an extent. The grammatical aspect of the language, even after 4 years of Spanish in school, still confuses me. -
Teachers can be cool...
Second semester, Junior year of high school. A teacher who didn't play by the rules, and threw out the recommended book list. We read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, which remains one of my favorite books to date. -
A Struggling Reader
I had always considered myself to be a proficient reader. Then, I began Advanced Chemsitry. For the first time, I had to read, and re-read...and re-read again. Comprehension didn't take place immediately. I realized that I took my proficiency in reading for granted, and some texts required a little more time and thinking. -
Tuesdays With Morrie
All freshman at Erskine College were required to read Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom for our Freshman Seminar class. To this day, Albom is one of my favorite authors, and Tuesdays is a book I can read repeatedly. -
My Name
At the end of my Freshman English in college, we were asked to write a story based on the meaning of our name and present it creatively. My first name, meaning "Princess," and my middle name, meaning "willow farm," allowed for a presentation in one of my old prom dresses, being the princess of a willow farm. I realized just how much presentation can bring to a story. -
Graduation
Finally, officially, a teacher! I instantly began my book collection for my classroom library, scouring library sales, yard sales, and dollar bins. After all, I wasn't working yet! I loved finding children's books that I knew from my childhood, as well as ones that were new to me. -
Our Family Bible
My wedding gift from my father- our own Family Bible. I immediately began to fill it out with important dates, and have been blessed to add my son's birth in there as well. I hope to pass it down as years go on. -
Swapping books again...just a few more chapters!
As my new husband and I moved across the state, I met a friend who quickly became close, and we shared a love of books. We now swap Nicholas Sparks' latest novels, Janet Evanovich series, Heaven is for Real, and other books we find worthy, no matter what genre. -
Currently...
My current reading life revolves around Eric Carle and Touch-and-Feel books with my son, Sunday school lessons for the middle school class I teach, and professional reading for my EdS degree in Literacy. While this doesn't leave much time for personal reading, I try to squeeze in a magazine, or swapped book when I get a chance. I continue to love reading, and hope this love is passed to my son.
