Lifelong Reader #1

Why read?

As a high school English teacher, teaching students WHY to read is just as important as HOW to read. Inspired by Penny Kittle and Kelly Gallagher, I dedicate class time to developing lifelong reading habits in class. The first habit is seeking out and self-selecting reading material.

One of the most important things I can do to support this habit is model it, so I show students how I use GoodReads as a method for finding books. I use this website (or app on my phone) nearly every week. If somebody I know suggests a book that sounds interesting, I add that book to my To-Read shelf on GoodReads. I currently have 70 books on this shelf, so when I retire, I have LOTS of options for reading material! In fact, while students were using GoodReads in class, I noticed a few of them rated This is Where It Ends by Marieke Nikamp  highly. As I asked them about the book, it captured my attention, so now, this book is on my To-Read shelf! Some students don't like GoodReads because it requires a log-in, and they have to rate 20 books before it will provide suggestions.

I also showed students how to use whatshouldireadnext.com. The best thing about this website is that it doesn't require any log-in or set up. All students have to do is type in a book or author they like, and the website provides suggestions based on the input. I'm not a huge fan of this website because it's much more limited than GoodReads. When I typed in the book I'm currently reading (It by Stephen King), it gave me zero results because the book wasn't found. I'm not sure which is more ridiculous: the fact that a website about books doesn't know what It is or it doesn't know who Stephen King is.

Another way that I self-select books for my own reading pleasure is by listening to those whose opinions I value. The owner of Rainy Day Books has an event in December every year in which she highlights the best books of the year. This woman reads more books than anybody I know, and her passion for reading comes out of her pores. Every time I attend this event, I leave with a long list of books to read. This long list gives me something to look forward to!

"Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life." --Joseph Addison