What's My Why?
Since I started my blog a couple months ago, I’ve gotten many questions from coworkers, friends, and family about WHY in the world I’m spending so much of my time reading and writing about young adult literature. The obvious reason is that I teach seventh grade English. And based on that fact, I think many assume that I simply want to know what my students are reading. Unfortunately, they are dead wrong. I read YA literature because of what my students are not reading. I read YA literature to be a role model. And I read YA literature because I believe so strongly (and so do researchers) in the importance and power of helping children become lifelong readers.My teaching experiences have been in two districts where many of my students do not see themselves as readers. In a reading survey I administer at the beginning of the year, many students report that they finished fewer than 3 novels in the past year and have fewer than 10 books in their home. Most of these students do, however, play Fortnite with their friends and own a cellphone. And for those reasons, I, along with thousands of other teachers, have my work cut out for me. The picture you see at the top of this post was just the beginning of a silly idea. I got my puppy, Riley, over the summer, and in order to 1.) showcase books I was reading to my students and 2.) justify my obsession with my fur-child, I decided to create a bulletin board (and then an Instagram account, and then a blog). While some people (mostly my boyfriend and mom) thought the idea was really great, other reactions were not as positive. I felt hurt and self-conscious when a coworker said: “What do you teach? Elementary school?” I actually thought, for a second, about taking the board down. Maybe it was too baby-ish for middle school. But then I returned to my why. The passion behind the goofy board. For some reason, reading is not celebrated after elementary school. High-stakes test preparation and fast-paced curriculums take over, and reading among pre-teens is suddenly “un-cool.” Enter the incredible world of YA lit--a genre that has recently exploded and, in my opinion, made reading cool again. I am overwhelmed every day by my Amazon wishlist and to-read stack because there is just so much good content out there! Books that are relatable, engaging, and rigorous. Books that our students need to know about. I’ve said this before on the blog, but I strongly feel that the job of educators goes far beyond filling our classroom libraries with excellent book choices (and that can be hard enough). I believe we need to cultivate a community of readers by celebrating reading, sharing in the magic of a good story, and modeling the joy of reading for kids. That is why I prioritize the following in my classroom:
- Filling my library with quality books.
- Creating a library that is comfortable and visually appealing to students.
- Creating practical and fun tools to maintain a reading routine in class.
- Consistently presenting a new title for “Book Talk Tuesday” --because who here ever picks up a book without getting a good recommendation first!
- Making consistent time for independent reading during class.
- Reading alongside students (and openly laughing and crying at the emotional parts, of course).
I am very lucky to work in a district that understands the importance of an independent reading routine, and encourages my wacky and dorky ideas, but if you are not in a district like this, consider bringing these resources to the attention of your administration. I found them very informative and important for anyone who needs to justify more quiet reading time in class. No, it’s not lazy teaching!
I have found great success with my routines (most notably, my book talks) in cultivating the kind of community I have always wanted for my students. One where students can be heard whispering during independent reading time--not about the latest drama--but about a favorite line in their book. I have students tell me, over and over again, that book talks are their favorite part of the week. And I have request after request for more reading time in class. I read YA to foster this community. To be an expert who can find the perfect title for my students. I know, however, just how time-consuming this is. And that is the other, equally valuable reason that I read and write about YA. I want to share my knowledge with other teachers who want to be an expert for their students and recommend a great novel to every child. I hope this blog helps you. If it does, please leave a comment, and share it with your teacher friends! I love connecting with all of you.♥ RileyReadsYA ♥