I was facilitating a professional development session focused on how to administer a reading assessment. A fifth-grade student just finished reading the text and I was beginning the part of the assessment in which we discuss the text together. He seemed a bit nervous with all of the observers, so I tried to calm him […]
Category Archives: Reading Lives
October
21
White Bird: A Lesson in Trust by Sarah Derringer
posted by CBethM
The new R.J. Palacio graphic novel is a “Wonder story” about a young Jewish girl’s experience in Nazi-occupied France in the 1940s? What? I know. I was thinking the same thing. You see, I, like millions of other readers, read and loved Wonder. I fell in love with the book’s message of overcoming […]
October
06
Readers, in Spite of School by Donalyn Miller
posted by donalynm
I am endlessly fascinated with readers—what and why they read, how they became readers and sustain a reading habit, and the ways reading has shaped their worldview and their identity development. I know other folks are endlessly fascinated with other aspects of reading and reading instruction including phonics, comprehension, or vocabulary. All of […]
September
30
When Reading is More Than Just a Story by Carrie Rodusky
posted by CBethM
Sometimes I come across a story that is so special, so important, that I almost do not even feel worthy enough to have been part of something so beautiful; like I was let in on a secret and that secret changes me. I read many books. Not only because I love to read, but […]
September
16
Inspiration to Read written by Ryan Eckart
posted by CBethM
I wasn’t always a reader. In fact, I wasn’t a reader until I became an elementary principal and a special person entered my life. Growing up, I hated reading. In 7th grade, I remember my parents meeting with my teacher to figure out why I couldn’t remember anything I was reading. From what I can […]
September
14
Building Each Other Up Makes the World (and our Reading and Writing) so Much Better by Theodora (Lolly) Salazar
posted by CBethM
As if I needed any more evidence of authors’ support for each other, I had the pleasure of reading some Twitter posts with pictures of Laurie Halse Anderson listening intently from the balcony as Jason Reynolds addressed an audience at this year’s Nerd Camp in Michigan! In our society these days, we see such a […]
September
09
A Reading Life Is Not Linear by Clare Landrigan
posted by CBethM
“Thank you … I have been thinking about what you said”. I turn to locate the voice and wonder, “Is he talking to me?” Our eyes meet. “You came to my class last week. You told us that reading wasn’t always easy for you. No teacher ever says that. I have been […]
September
07
How the Book Julian’s A Mermaid Finally Changed My Thinking by Deana Metzke
posted by CBethM
Let me start by saying that I have read and understand the issues connected with the book Julian is a Mermaid. This piece is not written in support or non-support of the book, but rather an explanation of how the topic of the book affected my growth and the thinking of those around me. Julian […]
September
02
If You Really Want to Change the World, Read a Book by Morgan Jackson
posted by CBethM
I can’t know everything about everyone, everywhere. No one can. I’ll never forget reading Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings for the first time with a group of high school juniors. I had a class of 21 students with just 4 girls and 11 of the 17 boys played varsity football. We […]
July
29
Reading For Them by Alicia Abdul
posted by CBethM
A few years ago I wrote a blog post on my professional site called “I’m the lucky one” bidding goodbye to five special students that I had the pleasure of being their librarian for four years of high school. Several of them I still maintain regular contact with and one in particular still revolves around […]
