-
Happy Birthday to me!
On June 3, 1991, I was born into a family with two other girls. Shannon was four and Kate was two. From the start, I was always trying to be just like them when it came to reading. I looked up to them and did everything I could to be a good reader like them. -
Period: to
Emergent Stage
During the emergent stage, I believe the basis behind my theory that reading at a young age is incredibly important. I truly believe that early and constant exposure has helped me get where I am today. Mom mom had encoraged me to read everything and anything. Therefore, even today, with my fifth graders, I encourage them to read everything around them. There is so much to learn, even when it does not come from a book. -
Daily and nightly reading opportunities
My mom believed it was important for my sisters and I to read as much as possible growing up. I do not know the exact time she started reading to me; however, from a very young age we would read stories together. Sometime we read all together; sometimes it was just my mom or dad reading to me. -
Continued emergent reading
At an early age, I memorized parts of stories and would read them for my parents during story time. I would correct my dad when he would try to change the stories or make up new versions of the story. -
Period: to
Beginning Stage
During this stage, I had an amazing teacher that encouraged reading. She made me want to be a good reader and writer. Kids at this age are very impressionable, so at this age they need to see, feel and hear how amazing reading can truly be. She was so encouraging to everyone. I think that she is who taught me to take a positive approach when teaching reading to my students -
School Age
Even at a young age, I wanted to do well. In my head, my sisters were so good at school. I also wanted to be good at school. I strived to work hard and figure things out as my mom said. As I watched my sister bring home chapter books and could read them in what seemed to be a day, that's what I thought all the cool kids were doing and I was going to be like that. -
First into second grade
I had a fantastic first grade teacher that shared her joy of reading and she made it very fun to read. She helped me understand what a good reader sounded like and once again I wanted to be that good reader. I wanted to read out loud every chance we were given. -
First into second grade continued
During conference time in the fall of first grade, my teacher mentioned to my mom that I enjoyed writing. There was a publishing center at our school and when students wrote something, we could publish it with the help of parent volunteers. My spelling was not the best in these books, but I had been taught to "stretch-spell" and still to this day, we know what I was trying to say. -
Period: to
Transitional Stage
Books are getting harder and reading to learn instead of learning to read is more prevalent. I think this stage is also hugely important to readers. As a fifth grade teacher my belief continues that they need to constantly be reading. Also as a their teacher, I need to help them find what it is that they enjoy to read. I need to show them the excitement that my teachers showed me. I need to help them find books that books that put them in a different world. This is the age that I became a reader -
Reading for enjoyment
Around fourth grade, I began to truly love reading. I began to read chapter books on a regular basis and could be found curled up with a book. After trying to read Harry Potter about two or three times, I finally completed the book series and loved it. From then on, I loved how reading put you in a different world. This is when I finally enjoyed reading personally and not just to be like my sisters. -
Writing
In eighth grade, I had an amazing ILA teacher that encouraged us to write. We wrote personal essays and kept journals that she would correspond with us through. This is where I started to love writing. -
Expanding my repertoire
My love of writing started in the beginning literacy stage, increased in the transitional stage, but was truly strengthen in the adolescent stage. In high school, I joined the newspaper staff. Staff expanded my love of reading book series to reading news articles in the paper and online. During this stage, I also started to enjoy reading historical novels. -
Period: to
Adolescent Stage
My passion for reading and writing was at its highest during this stage. My interest in news and writing news articles grew. I believe the connection between reading and writing are essential to a balanced literacy program. Looking back at my high school career, this is probably where I developed my belief that reading and writing should be simultaneously taught and connected for students. As well as lesson and activities should be cross-curricular when possible. -
Professional reading
When I went to college, I had to teach myself to read textbooks and professional journals. It was difficult and my grades suffered at first. I had to sit back and evaluate how I could read these texts and comprehend them at the same time. I recognized the reading strategies that work best for me. Now, I even enjoy reading professional text that pertain to my field of study! -
Period: to
Mature Stage
Reading is not always for pleasure during the mature stage. As I stated, when I went to college reading text book were not as easy for me at first. I had to utilize the reading strategies I had been taught to read my text books. In my classroom today, I do my best to teach them explicitly, so that they too can reach the adolescent and mature stages and succeed.
