Margaret Quinn, Oct. blog, Routman: Ch. 3 Share Your Reading Life

 

I had never before thought to talk about my own personal reading life with my students. This is very exciting to me because I do love to read and I want to share my enthusiasm with my students. In fact, I have set aside several books I have read, are currently reading, and plan to read to share with my class tomorrow! I am excited to see how it goes. My enthusiasm and excitement about my personal books and reading habits is what I want to share with them and pass on. I think taking pictures of our household library and even my son's little library is a great idea! I wonder how many of my students have their own libraries! I found it humorous when she said her husband asked why she couldn't read public library books because my husband has asked me the same thing. Ironically, my answer to him is just what she said to hers. My books are a part of me. They represent who I am as a person and I share with old and new friends what I enjoy reading as they come in our home and see my library strategically placed with family artifacts, photographs, and treasures, "Avid readers talk about their favorite authors and books" so I plan on doing this with my students and let them know the small group I meet with to discuss books, my husband, and close friends. Then, I am going to allow them some time to share with me and a partner their favorite books, genres, and authors. I love the idea of "Now" books and "Next" books because I too read more than one book at a time! I love finding new books to make as my "Next" books and will encourage them to do the same! We need to talk about all the reasons why we love to read! I love to read cookbooks to get new ideas on what to cook or bake because I feel like I make the same dinners over and over. Reading biographies partnered with watching documentaries helps me better understand what it was like for the prisoners of war, the gypsies, and Jewish people during WWII and how some of them escaped the awful horror. I love learning how to be a better Christian, mother, and wife. I love reading about Christ's life on earth and His many miracles that he performed as well as  how He changed our lives forever by saving us and delivering us from our sins. I love reading about how much God loves us and gave His only son to save us. I enjoy reading what other believers write like C.S Lewis and Beth Moore. They help bring my understanding of Chris’s life and the Bible to a deeper level. Aaron Copland is one of my favorite composers and I thoroughly enjoy reading his book among other books that he and so many other phenomenal composers have written. I like to understand their thinking when I listen to their music.  

Reading different genres helps me be well rounded. I believe that it is important to not only take classes and “do” different thinks like cook, dance, play sports, play an instrument, get involved with your community and church to think more diverse, but to also read different genres and make our minds well rounded.