Evolving Readers: A Philosophy of Children’s Literature

My favorite books to read are the ones where characters evolve.  I like to read about people who transform their lives into something better than what they had.  I love it when I have finished a book, and a day later, I miss the characters.  The love of reading is not something I was raised with; I learned to enjoy reading as an adult.  Because I find pleasure in reading, I want my students to find pleasure in reading.  I desire my students to find joy in discovering the types of books they will enjoy reading.  My purpose as a teacher will be to infuse my classroom with literature so that my students can experience the wonder of books. 

Putting a bunch of books in a classroom appears to be an easy task. In fact, creating a classroom that teems with literature takes a lot of thought. Classroom books should be age appropriate, so I will be sure to include books that are geared toward the grade that I teach. I will review the books to be sure that content is grade specific and diverse in subject. I understand that children have different interests, so in selecting books, I will be sure to include a variety of genres and subjects. My students will find this medley of stories in our classroom library. They will enjoy visiting our classroom library because it will be designed with their craving for literature in mind. They will easily find their genre of choice because the shelves will be clearly labeled. I will display books by the spine and by the cover. I will have featured books that will highlight our classroom activities, such as the study of Arizona. I will also highlight celebrated times of the year, like Women's or Black History Month. My students will enjoy spending time reading in our library because I will have a comfortable couch and large pillows. This creates an inviting atmosphere in which to read. My classroom will have posters that depict literature and quotes that encourage children to read and share their stories. I feel that the more literature I include in my classroom, the more apt my students are to engage in reading.

Putting a variety of genres in the classroom, and creating a literature rich atmosphere does not guarantee that students will chose something that they have never experienced.  I will set reading goals for my students to ensure that they are exposed to different genres.  I will give each student a list of genres and ask that they read a different one each time they choose a book.  This will help them to become familiar with a variety of genres and enlighten them to the types of books that are of interest to them.  In lew of book reports, I will plan an assortment of projects to accompany the book.  For instance, I will have students create a diorama to depict their favorite scene in a mystery, or write a letter to a historical figure in a book.  My intention is to inspire students to engage in reading, consequently helping them to learn about the types of stories that interest them.