new books!

I remember when I was in the credential program

I had this professor who was obsessed with literacy.

She was always so amped to share

her latest idea to hook kids into loving reading.

I always thought she was nuts.

Don't get me wrong,

obviously as a future teacher, I thought literacy was

super important and should be promoted to students.

But I never really saw what she was so excited about.

But now, two years into my teaching career,

and I'm starting to see what she was so hyped about.

There is nothing I love more than 

having discussions about reading with my kids.

I love when they ask me what I'm reading

and I love when they ask me to help them pick out a book.

I love the look on their faces when I ask them

how their latest book choice is going.

Or when I ask them if they think I should read 

their book choice next.

And I especially love the surprised looks they give me

when I tell them it's okay that they need to abandon a book.

You're actually telling me it's okay to put this book down?

Yes, yes I am.

But I'm also asking you to go find one that you won't want to put down.

---

A few months back,

I got an email from Donors Choose,

a website that helps teachers fund projects for their classrooms,

saying that many companies have been fully funding

projects and encouraged members to post a new project.

Sadly, I had already posted two projects with no success.

But I thought, eh, why not?

So I created a project called "Reading Like Its Going Out of Style."

I chose over $300 worth of books

I thought would never actually make it to my classroom.

But then yesterday,

I awoke from a well-deserved nap,

and checked my email to find a message that said

Bank of the West had fully funded my project!

I have to admit I almost even forgot I posted the project in the first place.

But I was so excited!

Afterwards, I had the best time looking through

the list of books that I had chosen.

After rereading the synopsis of each one,

I made mental lists of which students in my class

might want to read each of the books first.

But hopefully among the stacks of books that will be arriving 

will be the one that a student just can't put down.

I guess I wouldn't say that I'm obsessed

with literacy like my professor was.

I think I'm just more obsessed with

my students actually loving to read.

So hooray for acts of kindness

and hooray for new books!