Vision

A couple years back I was blessed to attend a training by Penny Kittle for our secondary English teachers. I was inspired by how she had built a community of readers through intentionally building personal relationships with students that included a deep understanding of their reading lives. As we are starting to think about the new school year, I've been collecting texts that will help me set a strong vision for the upcoming years. This led me to start a journey through Kittle's novel Book Love yesterday, and before I finished the introduction, I developed a substantial brain crush. She is so skillfully able to put into words what I have been discovering about meaningful language arts instruction. I have a feeling I may go through several pens before I finish this one.

There are so many meaningful quotes in this book that depict what an authentic, student-centered reading workshop model should feel like. One I found to be a strong mission statement for me as I start thinking about next year. "There is nothing casual here. Understanding the habits, interests, and challenges of individual readers becomes a central part of teaching. This reading-life pedagogy elevates the role of conferences. We have to pull in close to our readers and listen. The pedagogy requires all we have, but it engages all kids, and that is always worth fighting for" (Kittle, XV).

One of the challenges I love so much about upper elementary and middle school is rekindling a love of reading. I was that student sitting through advanced English classes counting the minutes until it'd be over. I was the student who abruptly stopped independent reading when my assigned reading of classics took up all my time and made me forget that reading was meant to be enjoyable. It was in 7th grade that I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do in life. I wanted to help students like me. I saw them all around me, students who had developed a sour taste for reading, and they all had different reasons. For some it was skill gaps. Reading was hard, and it was only getting harder. For others it was other things filling their time: friends, extracurricular activities, caring for siblings, and so much more. I didn't become an avid reader again until college. There were so many years missed, so many literary experiences that could have helped me through such a confusing and tumultuous time in my life. I want to help my students not miss out on what reading has to offer - an experience, an escape, a companion, a growth tool.

I love how Kittle talks about books as half of a love story. The other half? The kids. As preteens and adolescents, life is tough. Trying to live up to expectations from parents, teachers, and friends is exhausting. As their educators, we have such an incredible opportunity to influence them at a time where they are making choices that define who they are for the remainder of their lives. I often have to remind myself of that, of the gravity of this time. As English teachers, we are given an even greater gift. Reding and writing brings out our personal experiences, our vulnerability, and allows us to connect on a very personal level. I've found that teaching this content area has connected me with my students on such deep levels. I know their most proud moments and their most tragic, and they know mine. What a gift I've been given to be a teacher of language arts!