Read to Self #sol15

I have a reading problem. By that, I mean that I am a voracious reader and feel that all other people should be as well. It is unfortunate that my husband and oldest child do not share this love of books. I would love to have long stimulating conversations about books with my husband (like couples in the movies do), but that isn't his thing. He has other interests that are pretty cool too, like hunting and football, and most recently a new Jeep. I am so thankful, however, that I do have friends who share my love of reading. Personally, I enjoy a wide variety of genres. I have an abundance of professional books (one friend calls it my sickness :)), a classroom full of children's books, and an assortment of books on my ipad. Most recently I have been reading either biographies or murder mysteries. In my school district, I train other teachers about best practice in reading instruction. I always tell those teachers that while it is definitely best practice to stay abreast of the latest research and new books on reading instruction and assessment, you also need to have your fun time reading. I am a fiction reader at heart. To be honest, I have always been a sappy fiction reader. To be brutally honest, I am a closet romance novel aficionado. No matter the genre, you just can't beat a good book. There is nothing better than getting lost in a story. I don't even mind the bags under my eyes after staying up way to late to finish another chapter in the book I am reading.

My love of reading is important to me. I want my students to feel the same love of books that I feel. During the school day, we are always talking about books. If I ask my kiddos what my favorite thing is, they would probably answer reading. They often comment that my name is a perfect fit, even if it is misspelled. Sometimes former students will stop in to share what they are reading, so I know that my book love has carried on to some of these kiddos. I wish that all kids loved to read and would grow to be voracious readers. I firmly believe that my job is to help my students find their niche as readers and develop that love at least a little more deeply by the time they leave 4th grade. If I can accomplish that, I have made a difference!

Sincerely,
Tara Reed