A Book is a Man's Best Friend

I'm curled up on our couch with a cup of peppermint tea and dinner.
I was counting on a snow day, so instead of grading, I made homemade chicken tenders (coated with crushed corn chips) with homemade french fries and Annie's Cowgirl Ranch. Yum, yum, yum. Then I dyed my hair.  And THEN, I finally got the call: SNOW DAY TOMORROW!

And the first thought that crossed my mind was this: "Yesssss. Maybe I can finish my book tomorrow!"

Let me tell you how I found this book. It's kind of a long story.

Fall 2010: I was student teaching in a sixth grade Language Arts class, and my cooperating teacher (who was and is one of my teaching heros) did independent reading with her kids. Her classroom had bookshelves full of all kinds of books. Students could check books out from her and keep them as long as they wanted. We also went to the library a couple times a month. It was amazing.
I learned that she had read The Book Whisperer by Donnalyn Miller...when I left that placement, she gave me this book (this is one of many reasons why she is one of my ultimate teaching heros).
I can't say enough good things about it; I have read and reread it at least ten times.

Fall 2010: I switch student teaching placements and try to implement independent reading at my new school, a high school of...rougher kids. I have both regular English and Advanced English classes. I didn't think it through. I didn't plan very well. But it still went ok.

Well, actually, it turned into naptime for most students. Yikes.

Fall 2011: I have a teaching job! ALL OF MY KIDS WILL LOVE READING! WE WILL READ EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME!
October 2011: Screw this independent reading.
My kids won't do it. I have an SOL in here. I don't have time for this. I'm a failure.

August 2012: I reread The Book Whisperer and realized that I CAN do independent reading with my students...I just need to be better prepared.

September 2012: It's the first day of school. I'm so nervous, probably more nervous than the kids. I'm teaching three 12th-grade classes (no SOL test in these classes) and two 11th grade classes (with an SOL). But my syllabus says all my students in both classes will read, so...here goes...

Student reactions were as follows:
"HAHAHAHA! We're going to read? Good luck with THAT!"
"I haven't read a book in years."
"I hate reading. No way I'm doin' this."
"Can I read Dr. Seuss?"

March 2012:
"Mrs. Suders! Are we reading today? We haven't read all week!"
"Mrs. Suders, I'm already done with my second book...can I go to the library and get another one?"
"What do you mean we're only reading for thirty minutes? Can we read for an hour?"
"I rushed through my work in my other classes today so I could read. THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD."

And, finally, to tell you how I found the book I'm reading (The Alchemyst by Michael Scott, if anyone's interested).
"Mrs. Suders, you HAVE to read this book. It is so good. Seriously, I know you are going to Barnes and Noble this weekend because you tell us you go every weekend. You have to get it."

So, I did. Because in these moments when we talk about books, we are no long teacher-student.
We are speaking reader to reader, debating the ending of Perks of a Wallflower or agreeing that the book My Sister's Keeper  is SO much better than the movie adaptation.

So tomorrow, I hope to finish (or at least make significant progress in) The Alchemyst. I want my kids to know I listen to them. Their opinions are important to me. I care about them.

And I LOVE that they are becoming readers, and I hope they will be readers even after they leave my classroom. May we bump into each other at book fairs and Barnes and Noble for years to come.