Reading this Semester

Reading this semester has been an interesting ride so far. I say it has been interesting because I did not think I would enjoy the books as much as I have so far. I have discovered so many different books and authors that I have a huge variety that I can use when I get my own classroom.

I’ve also learned a lot about myself as a reader. I did not think I would be super interested in the books that I have read so far but I am! I say this because in high school and even in my free time, I like horror books. My favorite author is Stephen King and I don’t think he could write a very appealing children’s book! It is surprising to me that I have enjoyed the books as much as I did. I guess it shows that a person does not have to be set on a certain genre but they can explore multiple genres and enjoy all of them at least a little bit.

Throughout the semester, I’ve found that I like the older elementary books more. I think they are better overall because they can go into much more detail than a picture book can. Of course picture books can be just as good as some chapter books but with the grades I want to teach, chapter books would be the best. This could also be a reason why I like the Newbery winning books the most. I loved, absolutely loved, The One and Only Ivan. As I said before, I am surprised at how much I liked these books but the One and Only Ivan was so well written that even the elementary level book was able to make a 19 year old (me) emotional at certain points!

In the end, I am excited to see what the rest of the semester holds.

Until next time,

-Rachel

Advertisement

How to Make Time to Read

Reading is fun but what if you never have the time for it? Being a full time student and employee, it can be hard to find time to read so I wanted to talk about somethings I do to find time.

1. Work Breaks

   

   Image Credit: Yann

At my job, I have a lot of spare time…A LOT! In this spare time, I just read. I am able to sit down and work on my homework. This usually involves reading my textbooks or other things for classes. While not all people are as lucky as I am, I also read over my lunch hour and can usually crank out a couple pages before I have to get back to work.

 

2. Waiting in Line

If you have a smartphone, you can pretty much assess anything at anytime. One other thing I found helpful it reading in long lines. Of course you have to stay aware of your surrounding so you don’t hold up the line but this way you can get at least a page or two closer to the end!

3. Bedtime Stories

Reading at night can be difficult for some people because it makes them so tired they aren’t comprehending what they are reading. This can be a problem but if you can find some spare time to stay awake a little longer every night, it will pay off in the long run!

4. Getting Ready

Most people (I know) like to listen to music or watch television when they get ready in the morning but, if you listen to your book it will help to progress in your book. Some would consider this not really reading the book but if you are super busy, it is something to take into consideration!

These are just a couple ways that work for me. Hopefully you found some that you can try out for yourself!

Until next time,

-Rachel

KidLitosphere Central

Image Credit: irakli_gar

Before this class, I have never heard of KidLitosphere. According to the website (http://kidlitosphere.org/), they explain themselves as “a community of reviewers, librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, publishers, parents, and other book enthusiasts who blog about children’s and young adult literature.” To me, this is a great resource because KidLitosphere takes important people in children/ young adult literature and bring them together to write a review about said literature. Why is this important? One main reason is KidLitosphere gives teachers a resource to determine which books to read for class and which books to avoid. This can be determined by the “reviewers, librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, publishers, parents, and other book enthusiasts” blog posts. Are their posts about a piece of literature positive or is it negative?

Blogging at the beginning can be very intimidating because it is your opinion and you choose how you want it to be. Overall, the way you blog should be based on your personal style. However, if you are saying something that is not your opinion, you should bring in facts to help support your case. Something I consider every time I write a post is the type of language to use. Depending on who your audience is, you want to use a vocabulary that they can understand. This becomes important with KidLitosphere because anyone can be reading these articles. The audience would be someone interested in reading a review for children’s book. If you use difficult words, it doesn’t make sense to be writing an article about a children’s book. You always want to keep the reader engaged. Difficult words can hinder this and make it difficult for the reader to continue.

Overall, I think a key in blogging is to have fun with it. It is YOUR blog so make it your way!

Until next time,

-Rachel