Literate Environments and Reading Reasons

After reading both Graves Chapter 3 and "The 9 Reading Reasons", I have found a new way to look at reading and to motivate my future students. Although I am going to be a math teacher and sometimes it is hard to relate, I did find that some topics in these pages applied to me and were neat. In fact, reading these chapters almost made me want to switch to a reading core because they were so interesting!

The readings were similar because they both involved ways to motivate students to read. The difference between the two readings were the different ways they got the students to want to read. In Graves, my favorite part was the focus on a "literate environment." I loved reading about the different ways to create this environment and remembered how my elementary teachers would use these techniques. For a reading teacher specifically, I feel that the amount of time reading in class and the choice of the book are the most important. I remember having 20 minutes of silent reading a few days a week during my fourth grade class where we were encouraged to choose any book we wanted to read. I absolutely loved reading when I was younger and read several different book series that I can recall (Magic Treehouse, Series of Unfortunate Events, Gossip Girl, Junie B. Jones, etc.), so I always looked forward to this time.

Some other techniques in Graves could be beneficial in any classroom. These include modeling, a "print-rich classroom", and the climate. When I am a math teacher, I plan to incorporate these things into my classroom to make it a more literate environment, even if it is a subject that involves more numbers than words. I plan to model the way to problem solve, have writing and posters on the walls (even if they are not always directly related to math), and create a positive and supportive atmosphere for the students. A teacher of any subject can create this kind of environment for their students.

As for the "Reading Reasons" chapter, I thought this was an interesting read, especially for older students. Growing up, I did not consider half of these reasons to read. This was probably because I loved reading so much already that I did not need something to motivate me. But nonetheless, I truly enjoyed reading this and would definitely consider telling some of my future students this if they start asking questions. My favorite reasons were "Reading is Rewarding" and "Reading Makes You a Better Writer" because I can relate and believe in both of these. Reading for pleasure is one of my favorite things to do in my free time (which is rare during college). Getting lost in a good book is so very enjoyable. Some of my favorite series I have read multiple times just because of the amazing feeling it gives me. I also believe that writing goes hand-in-hand with reading. In the third grade, I remember that we had to write a story and draw pictures. While most of my peers' stories were about a page of notebook paper long, mine was almost 12 pages. This was probably due to the fact that I read so much and loved writing stories equally as well.

I enjoyed reading both of these readings, but I would have to say that I liked "Reading Reasons" best because of the new outlook it gave me on motivation to read.