Series books are some of my favorite books!  I loved reading the Hunger Games series and the Divergent series during the summer and winter breaks.  I have realized why it is so difficult for me to read for fun during the semester though.  I truly believe that during the winter I will want to read more books from this series but with my schedule, I find it very difficult to find time to read textbooks nonetheless for enjoyment.

I’m going to be completely honest and say that I have finally finished the first chapter of this book and I’m very much enjoying it.  I believe that this book would be a perfect fit for a student who enjoys a catching read and feels like they’re having a hard time in school.  The main character has trouble staying at one school for more than a year and is finding out that it might not be just his fault.  I’m excited to find out whats going to happen and hope that I can get through it before this class ends.

When I opened the forward I was worried because I couldn’t get into it.  It wasn’t what I was expecting at all.  I did get more interested when I read the introduction because Miller wrote about how things had kind of changed since the book was first written.  As I started reading the first chapter, I was skeptical but was quickly shown that Miller is a wealth of knowledge and it is only going to improve my skills as a teacher in the future.

The biggest thing that has stuck with me is the part about “Fake Reading and Reading Avoidance”.  This is because when I was a young reader, this was me.  For some reason though, I was always able to get away with it.  The older I got the more I didn’t want to read.  The only time I would read is when I had a book report due and it was usually the night before.  This would make my mom upset but teacher was just happy to have my assignment in on time.  I do wonder sometimes though if my mom ever talked to my teacher about my habits.

I’m scared that because I wasn’t a very strong reader and avoided it when I was young that I’m going to have troubles being able to teach it to my students.  What if I can’t find something to spark their interest?  What if all of my students become fake readers?  Then again, will my past make me more motivated to not let that happen with my students?  I sure hope so because I really liked what Miller said about students reading when they have time and not making it be an all or nothing thirty minutes.  A part of me believes that because I didn’t think I had enough time or wasn’t good enough that I just wouldn’t do it at all.  Someday I hope to encourage my students to practice reading as they would a sport or an instrument!  I’m excited about what Miller has to say next.

Hello everyone, my name is Tessa and I am a 3rd year here at Chico State!  Answering the question “who am I?” has become a lot harder since freshman year.  I feel like it was so easy to be who I thought I was from High School or who I wanted everyone to think I was when I came to a place where I knew no one.  I honestly, I’m just trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be for the rest of my life.  Although if you want to know some factual things about me; you should know that I am from the Bay Area, Discovery Bay to be more exact, I have two older brothers, I am an Auntie to two adorable little ones, and I am a big fan of Wake boarding.  another thing you should know is that I love being near some type of water, boating is my favorite activity and the beach is my favorite place to be.

My riddle for you:

There were no fish

Nor were there Donkeys

Nor were there any coats made out of animals

But there were birds who helped the prince find the true fit to the golden slipper.