Reading

What do you read?

I read a lot. I enjoy it. It's part of my job. I have to read assignments. We also had a new policy this year. The first 15 minutes of each study hall is reading time. That 15 minutes is not to be used for homework, but for enjoyable reading. Our principal/superintendent has been adamant about this policy. He wants to make readers out of all of our students, and he wants that 15 minutes to be their "down time". He wants it to be 15 minutes that they enjoy during the day that they can read something on their level that is something that they are interested in and enjoy. Whether it is about hunting and fishing, music, sports, video games, whatever, as long as it is a topic that is school appropriate, anything goes.

Some of the teachers had a big problem with this policy. Obviously this takes time away from the study halls, and the kids that are struggling are the ones that have the most make up work to do. Study halls is when that make up work gets done, so they wanted to use the reading time to do it. It was made clear very quickly that reading came first, and that the struggling students were the ones that needed this time the most.

He also wanted the teachers to put their work down and be good role models. He wanted them to read for 15 minutes as well. I'm in a unique role, because I work as an inclusion aide, as well as in the resource room. I see a lot of teachers' classrooms throughout the day. I see MANY good things and some bad things. I'll tell you that the teachers who did model the reading, were more relaxed and still able to get everything done. I realize that teachers have a lot to do, but sometimes it seems that they forget that their first job is to teach the students.

I had one study hall to "teach". That's another whole topic that I'll go off on some other day. Anyway, I found that during the 15 minutes of reading I was able to get through a lot of books throughout the school year. I read several books by Torey Hayden. She's taught special education and has a unique insight on why "we" keep doing this. I read a lot of non-fiction books on autism, child abuse, and other topics to help with my job.

The last book that I read, is the reason for this post though. I just finished Facing Your Giants by Max Lucado. Before this I've only read children's books (especially The Crippled Little Lamb) by Lucado. This book really spoke to me. I'm not a person who reads the Bible. I've tried, several times, several versions. I just can't get into it. I've started at the beginning. I've started with the New Testament. I've spent many, many Sundays in Church and I feel I know the general stories in the Bible, although, I know that I don't know the Bible. Facing Your Giants was different though. It wasn't like this person begot this person who begot this person.... It was a story about a young guy that had a real life, and real problems. He had some good things happen, and he made some bad choices. Then he paid the consequences for those choices. Wow! I can understand that! There are Bible references throughout the entire book. Each part of David's life is then related to how I, as the reader, can relate that information to my life. Isn't that why I'm reading it in the first place? There is also a study guide at the end. I really enjoyed this book and learned a lot. I plan on reading more Lucado books this summer, and not just his children's books.