Annabelle Taylor Blog 7: Preference Recognition
a) Out of all the chapters we have read so far from Reading in the Wild, chapter 5 has by far been my favorite, and I think most useful. Miller mentioned so many different ideas that I thought were relatable and relevant to becoming a good teacher. One idea that really stuck with me was that we are going to find students who have the very similar, if not the same, reading preferences as us. This is going to be exciting and we will likely get ahead of ourselves occasionally recommending books we’ve read that will match their taste. Though this isn’t wrong, and could still be great, we must also remember to try and help these students expand their reading preferences. Help challenge them to step out of their comfort zone and try something new. This is how we can truly help them become a stronger and more versatile reader. Another idea I thought that was important is that we should ask our students for book suggestions. By doing this, it shows them that we care about their interests and want to explore our own reading preferences, as well. It is a good example of modeling and will likely make students more open to our reading suggestions for them.
b) It has taken a lot of time for me to get to know who I am as a reader, and quite frankly I am still figuring it out day by day. So far, I have learned several certain facts about what I enjoy. I really enjoy books with a good mystery. These are the types of novels I will get sucked into and not put down until I know exactly what has happened. These are also the books I have learned I have to have lots of available time to read, otherwise I will not get anything else done. I am also a sucker for a good romance. I never read strictly romance novels, but I like when books have a little bit of it thrown in. Most the time I tend to stick to fiction novels. Nonfiction reading makes me think of reports and big projects. However, I have been able to find that I enjoy nonfiction based on events that happened centuries ago, so not United States history. I know I haven’t learned all my reading preferences yet, because sometimes they seem random, but I believe that by continuing to expand my reading I will continue to grow. Really, I should be reading everything I can get my hands on to better myself as a teacher. This allows me to expand my reading knowledge and be able to recommend more books for my students. I also want to ask my students for suggestions, as well, like Miller discussed because I think this will give me greater insight into what kids want to be reading and how I can relate to them more effectively.
c) When Roza first came to Bone Gap, nobody knew anything about her. By the time she was gone, the townspeople knew that she was beautiful, but not much else. She was first found in Finn’s barn, covered in bruises and broken bones. However, that did not stop Finn and his brother Sean from seeing how lovely she was, with her long, curled dark hair and her olive skin. People were drawn towards Roza, but she never fully let anyone in. She was a mystery. It took her weeks to even have a real conversation with Finn and Sean, who had taken her in despite knowing nothing about the mysterious girl. Though when she finally did, she was kind and warm. She enjoyed cooking for the boys whose mother had abandoned them. Her voice was described as deeper than one would have expected with a thick Polish accent, and a contagious laugh. When Roza smiled, people couldn’t help but smiling back. Despite being liked by the townspeople, Roza tended to keep things to herself. Either she had secrets to hide, or enjoyed her privacy, but no one really knew for certain. As long as she was something nice to look at, no one really cared to know much more, and perhaps that was why she kept so much for herself. In one flashback, we are given some insight to Roza’s life before she came to Bone Gap. During a conversation with her grandmother regarding her beauty, her grandmother tells her, “‘You need to have an adventure. Do something different. And maybe then you will meet a boy who listens. Who sees.’” This dialog tells us that Roza was aware of her beauty, and at one time enjoyed the flattery. However, she learns there is more to appearance and that she must seek more in the world than her small town. This helps us understand how she may have made her way to Bone Gap. It also could explain her quiet nature because she may still be looking for the right person to share her story with.
d) This novel is very much the mystery I enjoy, as well as having a bit of romance. The characters are all very unique and each have their own little story. It is interesting following the different perspectives of the novel and getting little bits and pieces from flashbacks as the story goes along. It certainly makes the book more interesting not knowing everything all at once. This novel is definitely one that the underdog or the outsider could relate to. Both of the main characters it centers around have never truly fit in but choose to not care about that. This story also manages to not just be another sappy high school story. There are some very deep ideas being discussed that are relevant today. So far, this book is keeping me on my toes, and I think many others would enjoy it as well. For this reason, I would certainly recommend it to a friend.