Blog 2- Miller Text Ideas, Stephanie Suarez

I love this book. When I first got it I didn’t think I would love it this much. But now I can’t put it down. I’m actually writing this at 1:30am because I just kept reading and didn’t realize the time. And I’m taking so much out of the book.

I love the part where you can tell kids that you don’t have the read consecutively. I remember when I was in high school and middle school I would always find time to read because it was my favorite activity but so many others would say, “I don’t have time. I was to do this and that and then study and stuff at home, etc.” So I truly like this idea of breaking the reading time down. I also like the part where you can let kids have free reign on reading, within reason. Kids are more likely to read something if they enjoy it, so letting them chose a book is a brilliant idea.

They are a few ideas that are really resonating in my head right now. I love the part where Miller talks about letting them come to you. You can’t force someone to read something because they probably won’t enjoy it. But if they come to you, you’ll be more successful with teaching. Another idea I never thought of was figuring out where the kid read. I always assumed it was wherever they felt most comfortable because that’s what I do, but it could be more than that. It can simply be a place with no distractions, school, home, etc. They might just plop themselves done anywhere and read.

However I do find something’s challenging. If a student is not open to new ideas it will be harder to motive them. They might have parental influences that will deter them from reading, whether it be distractions at home or the fact that some parents simply don’t care enough to let their child take time to read. I also think about self-esteem issues. If a student is falling behind in class they might feel like a failure and just end up quitting or believing they are not good enough. Especially if that is being resonated at home or at school by their peers.

Despite that I am very excited about teaching reading. Since I am teaching elementary school I know I have a bit more free reign in what I teach opposed to middle and high school teachers. Choosing books, different assignments and making sure students have a sense of accomplishment is only a few things I’m excited about. I really like the Reading Itinerary idea. Especially that it is more of a reflection piece instead of a reading log. This will help kids feel better about their reading pace and views about the book. I’m excited about building a relationship with my students because other than their parents, I will be the greatest role model in their life. I have student taught many times and I have grown very attached to my students. So much that I’ve cried. But then I remember that the next year I will get a whole batch of new students that I will be able to help and I feel a bit better.

I am most afraid that my students will lack motivation. I understand that life can be very stressful and that there are other things that are important, but I’m scared that reading will take a back seat to them. I am one of the few that still love to read, 19 years after I learned. But this is rare. I really hate the whole, “fake reading” thing. And I understand that there are students who have gotten so good at it that they don’t even need spark notes. I can also attribute this to the media. Nowadays people don’t pull out a book to pass the time; they bring out their phone to go online or play games. I’ve had students who are in fourth grade who have iPhones. Up until a few months ago I didn’t even have a smart phone! This generation is starting to rely much more on media than any generation ever has.