Books have always been my companions. As a little girl, I can not recall a single time when I was not in the middle of a book. Wherever I went, just like Mary’s little lamb, a book was sure to follow. During summers when I couldn’t go to sleep, I would stay up all night reading and would stay awake until the moment the roosters began their serenading. Sometimes on the bus ride home from school, I would dig in my backpack and pull out whatever book I was currently reading. Kids would ask me, “Why are you reading? You’re not at school anymore.” Why did I read so much? I don’t recall when or why my passion for reading began, but I am so glad it did. The kids around me didn’t realize it, but I was the luckiest kid on the bus. Because even though I was sitting still on that bus seat for a thirty minute ride home, I could travel to lands far away in the blink of an eye and the turn of a page. It has been years since those carefree days when I would read on the bus, but my love for literature still remains strong. I feel that being a teacher with a literature rich classroom and curriculum will come as no challenge to me. As a teacher it will be one of my greatest goals to make passionate readers of my students. I want them to know the benefits of reading and want to inspire them to read no matter where they are or who they are with.  

One way I will motivate my students to be avid readers is by creating a literature rich environment in my classroom. In addition to posters that promote reading, I will have an awesome reading corner. My “Reading Paradise” will be have a couch, bean bags, pillows, and throws that my students will get to relax on while they enjoy their books. The corner will be set apart from the rest of the classroom by the numerous bookshelves that will surround it. On the walls surrounding the corner, will hang fish nets with select books and sea shells trapped in them. Also adorning the walls will be my student’s creative book report projects. On top of the bookshelves, will be our tropical class pets which my students will care for. It will truly be a spot for my students to enjoy reading.

I believe children are more likely to be excited about literature if they are offered books that reflect their interests. Therefore, I will have a class library with a large variety of genres for my students to choose from. I will have both fiction and non-fiction literature and I will encourage my students to read both. There will be novels and picture books alike, addressing all types of issues and telling all kinds of stories. There will be funny books like Captain Underpants and sad books such as Where the Red Fern Grows. There will be fantasy, science-fiction, historical fiction, and poetry among other genres that may be of interest to my students. Because it is possible that my library will not suffice my students’ needs, I will take my students to the school library frequently. Even if it takes a personal trip to the public library, I will always meet my students’ literature needs.

In addition to providing my students with literature that they can read on their own time, I will read to my students daily. I will always have a novel from which we will read at various points throughout the day. I will use themes for the units in my classroom and will introduce them by reading a book about the theme. For example, when I start my unit on the west, I will begin by reading Bubba, the Cowboy Prince: A Fractured <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Texas</st1:place></st1:State> Tale. There are so many books out there—the possibilities are endless. I believe all books should be followed up with intellectually stimulating discussions that help students make connections to their lives and the world around them. Therefore, I will always have a list of interesting prompts and thought provoking questions to supplement my reading. I will welcome all questions and comments from students and will use them as opportunities to further discuss the reading.

To test my students’ comprehension of important literary elements, I will assign monthly book reports. For these assignments, I will use Bloom's Taxonomy as a tool to help me plan for a variety of thinking levels. I will vary the assignment every month so that my students stay motivated and excited about creating them. One month, I will ask my students to read a biography. For their book report, I will have them write a speech about themselves in the first person, which they will read to their peers. The following month, I will have them read an informational book and then create newspaper article about the topic their book addressed. I have so many great ideas that I hope will be fun and exciting for my students.

I believe multicultural literature is important in order to inspire students to be compassionate and considerate human beings. For that reason, I will have a variety of multicultural literature in my classroom. I will often read multicultural literature to my students so that they may learn about the cultures that surround them. In addition, I will have a variety of multicultural books, including side-by-side books, so that my non-English speaking students may enjoy literature as well. As a Spanish speaker, I will read side-by-side books often so that my English speakers can pick up on some Spanish and vice versa.

To ensure that my students do not stop reading when they get home, I will create pamphlets for parents (which I will send home) to promote at-home-reading. In these pamphlets, I will describe to parents the benefits of literature, give them tips for successful read-alouds they can perform at home, provide book lists, as well as other useful information. Additionally, I will encourage parents to play an active role in their children’s literature experiences by taking them to the library on a regular basis, as well as taking them to book fairs or book talks.

After all these years, I am still the little bookworm I once was. I still carry a book with me everywhere I go and sometimes, every now and then, I stay up all night reading just like I used to. As a teacher, I hope my love for literature is obvious to my students. During reading time, no matter how many things I have to do, I will always sit in the reading corner with my students to read my own book. I want them to see that reading is one of my favorite things to do. As a teacher, I hope I can inspire one or two of my students to become readers for life. My greatest goal, however, is to always have a classroom full of bookworms!