Jessica Amsler Blog Post 3: Routman Share Your Reading Life

As I read this chapter, I felt good about how my students are currently learning to become better readers.  We are doing the Daily 5 this year and I think reading this chapter really compliments the sisters’ ideas.  I think it is a great idea to show students that we read and that we are not just telling them what to do.  It is so important that they see and hear why reading is important to their future.  I think Routman’s ideas about teaching reading and sharing that the teacher is a reader is a practical idea.  I feel that sometimes we make things a lot harder than they should be.  Showing a child why it is important to read and telling them that you do it too is so simple yet so important and it makes such a difference!

Two things really stood out to me while reading.  The first was “while excellent teaching is essential, without time to practice and read extensively, students will not become readers” (pg. 23).  The second was “we teachers have to be readers if we are to teach reading and writing well” (pg. 35).

The first quote made me think of using the basal and running copies of worksheet after worksheet.  We were saying you need to do this to become a better reader but we not allowing students time to actually read to become better readers.  My students seem so much more engaged when they have free choice and can choose to do an activity when they want to or to read when they want to.  They are in control of becoming a better reader.

The second quote made me think about good ol’ “D.E.A.R. time”.  I remember an announcement coming on to say that it was time for everyone to drop everything and read and I couldn’t help but look to see what book my teacher brought that day to read.  She usually had a novel or a devotional and read in her rocking chair as we read at our seats.  I do not remember her talking about her book but just seeing her read made such a difference to me.  I think our students need to see us reading so that they hopefully realize how important reading is.   I remember seeing my parents reading but I’m sure many of my students do not see their parents open a book so I need to be the one to set this example.

This chapter made me reflect on my reading practice and somewhat reevaluate it.  I need to have a more balanced reading diet and read more for enjoyment.  I enjoyed reading this chapter and the others that I’ve read but I need to make time to read for pleasure.  I also need to share with my students how important it is to read for pleasure and that if you don’t like a book that you choose that it is okay not to finish it.  I think a new reading log may be in my students’ future as well.