Reflection About Reading

“Dane why do you never take your book home and read? You know we have a quiz on chapter 10 next class.” said Mrs. Mabe. Growing up I never enjoyed reading because we had to take tests, answer questions, and write journals over the reading. Therefore, I only did it because I was required too. My experience with reading and writing has been a stressful, boring, and opportunistic journey. When I was very young, my parents would read to me, but once I started school it all faded away. I don’t struggle to read and write; only the fact that I don’t enjoy the process. For me, both of these are very time consuming and not enjoyable. Although, none of this was fun to me; my parents strived for my success, and mentored me.

Which I was shocked because I never wanted to read one whole book in my life. So back to the library I went to get my second book, and then read that before anyone else finished their first book of the year. Looking back to those books some of those are the best books I have ever read to this day. Right after school I would rush as quickly as I could to the front office and laid on the ground reading until my mom got off work, then reading on the bumpy car ride home, after dinner and right before bed. Sometimes, when I was really close to finishing a book I would even stay up super late to finish and use a flashlight as my light so my mom wouldn’t see my bedroom light on and know I was up past my bedtime, just so the first thing I said to my teacher the next day was that I finished another book, and of course I said it loud enough so the whole class heard me. They were so shocked that I read so much in so little time. I was on a roll and I didn’t want to stop. I had read more books than anyone else in my class and even in my entire

I sat in my fourth grade classroom staring at the bookshelf when suddenly I caught a glimpse of a dark blue book with a heroic being on the front. I lifted the heavy book and began reading Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. As soon as I started I fell into this mythical world where gods, monsters, and heroes all existed. It was a rollercoaster through my emotions. The thrill. The suspense. The surprising new book had a grasp on me, to stop reading it would be difficult. I felt attached. As soon as I started, I finished. Devastated, my chase of this feeling has never stopped, no other book has given me the same fulfillment as Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. As a young reader I would love to find the same joy and thrill (as I did back

I would like to preface this essay by stating that I am not fond of reading books. Starting in elementary school, with the way literature was handled, I began perceiving reading books as an obligation, nothing more. Few of the books we were made to read over the years interested me, so I tend not to read them out of my own volition. There were exceptions, of course – I enjoyed reading Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, for example.

“I either go to television or turn on the radio in my car” (Whitefield 2011). Before I started this class, that is what I thought about when someone asked me “Do you keep up with the news?”. Most people do not get the opportunity to learn about what is going on around the world in their everyday lives and how they can help out. I feel that being in this class I got the chance to learn more about life and what is happening everywhere, not just insignificant matters such as who Kim Kardashian is now dating or why Kylie Jenner got more lip injections, I am learning about the important things. I am getting the chance to learn about how I can participate in the world to make big changes because of reading The New York Times, “Why Local Newspapers,” and “Freedom is Intended as a Challenge.”

Since the dawn of time, humans have learned to communicate through certain writings or stories. Many individuals have benefitted from the gift of reading that we take so much for granted these days. The hunger for knowledge is a basic human instinct that has took place and influenced many people's lives, including mine. But I ask myself these questions. Is knowledge reading, or is reading knowledge? Can reading influence your life choices? Well here I am, thinking back on my childhood clouded by parental disputes and my adventure as a reader and how it has influenced my life today. My reading experiences as a child up to the present have had a great influence on me. My goal in this paper is to take you through a journey of my experiences

For as long as I can remember, I loved to read. There was never a distinct moment that clicked. Never did I see reading as a requirement; more so a desire. My desire to read paved the way for my need to tell my own stories. Aside from the stories I read, the ones I created brought a sense of satisfaction that I could never find elsewhere. My love for reading and writing is like the need for one to consume food and liquids to keep their body both nourished and hydrated. It’s a necessity! When I read or wrote, I craved peace and the need to escape into the world of endless possibilities. A place I can venture with no responsibilities and no worries. As I got older, my need to open a book and read, or write a story came natural. I was free!

I used to loathe reading and writing. I still do. There is however, a difference between my feelings regarding reading and writing in my past compared to my feelings now. I didn’t know who I was or what my thoughts were on many subjects. I also had trouble connecting with the stories I was reading. The main turning point in my attitude towards reading was in my ninth grade English class. My teacher, Mrs. Schultz, taught me, or maybe I finally decided to listen, and I found a deeper meaning and moral compass in the book we read. From then on, I looked at literature in a different light.

As a future elementary school teacher, I have always thought the task of teaching kids could be a rewarding and gratifying experience. However, I recently realized that in order to obtain these rewarding experiences the teacher and students must work hard and with determination. Learning to read can be a very daunting task for a youngster. Therefore, as a teacher, it is your job to facilitate positive reading strategies from the start. Looking back at my experiences as an early reader, I can gain some insight as to what might help or hinder my future students.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide a review of the literature regarding an historical perspective on reading instruction in schools, and the balanced literacy philosophy. This information provides a background from which to better understand how the balanced literature approach to reading instruction has come to exist, and the tasks that are part of this philosophy for the teacher. Then, more specific information is examined from the Crowley Independent School District regarding how the balanced literacy framework is implemented within that district. In addition, various curriculum documents are discussed in order to better understand how the CISD implements its balanced literacy program. Furthermore, the professional development and support for the reading initiative that occurs at the district and campus levels is discussed, along with the leadership that is provided within the schools to help teachers successfully carry out the balanced literacy program.

Writing has always been something I dread. It’s weird because I love talking and telling stories, but the moment I have to write it all down on paper, I become frantic. It’s almost as if a horse race just begun in my mind, with hundreds of horses, or words, running through my mind, unable to place them in chronological order. Because I struggle to form satisfying sentence structure, it takes me hours, sometimes even days, to write one paper. It’s not that I think I’m a “bad writer,” I just get discouraged easily. Needless to say, I don’t think highly of my writing skills. When I was little I loved to both read and write. I read just about any book I could get my hands on, and my journal was my go to for my daily adventures. Although it’s

My reading process overall is very strong and went smoothly. As I read I annotated the pages and this helped me stay more focused and connected with the reading. Today it was hard for me after I went to the bathroom and came back to the reading because I disconnected from the reading and had to try and dive straight back in. I also put my cell phone far away from me when I read or do homework so that I will not be tempted to look at the phone instead of completing my reading.

According to a survey done by the Pew Research Center in 2016, “About a quarter of American adults (26%) say they haven’t read a book in whole or in part in the past year, whether in print, electronic or audio form.” I believe I form part of this demographic group because I don't like reading books. I would say that my past experiences have made me into being a non reader. Therefore, I will explain to you my process of how I learned to read and who influenced my success, what were my favorite books back then and now, and how my past experiences have shaped me into the reader I think I am.Thus, I believe that I am not a reader.

Before I understood the meaning of words or letters, I loved to read. There is a picture of me in my childhood photo album, where I am sitting in a wagon surrounded by books. I am wearing red plaid overalls and a bright green shirt, my hair is in pigtails and I am fixated on the book which rests on my lap. Although I do not remember this moment, I can tell you exactly what I was doing: I was examining the pictures of the book and making my own story. I was pointing to each individual word on the page and saying what I thought it was based on the story I created. This was my favorite way to pass time at this age, staring at pictures and pretending that I could read as if I were an adult.

Have you ever lit your pants on fire!?! Well I have not either, but I have made a fool of myself in front of my entire class. All of my teachers and classmates know that I am a slow reader, but I usually never do anything wrong. That is why it was such a shocking and hilarious experience when I finally did something wrong. I learned the hard way, through slight humiliation, that you should always follow the teacher’s exact directions no matter what.