It’s fun to chat with others about books and stories you read.  That was proven yet again last night when our book group got together for dinner, drinks and discussion around our summer reading book, The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  We talked about our favorite characters and the traits they possess, we talked about story lines that are intriguing and mostly we talked about the overriding theme of racism in the past and present.

There’s something quite powerful about getting adults together to talk about things they have read, be it fiction or non-fiction texts.  Adults have an appreciation for what they read that students lack.  At first you may think that is a shame, but really, I think it’s just all part of the learning process.

When we are students we are reading things that are forced upon us and even though we may enjoy the stories, it’s a different purpose for reading.  In fact some ladies at the table last night were commenting (myself included) on how in High School we and/or our friends skimmed books to get through them, read Cliff’s Notes, maybe even watched the movie to finish the reading assignment.  One HS English Teacher at the table commented on how students hone their skills on piggy-backing on what others say, pretending they’ve read the book and get by on school survival skills.

We want our kids to read and enjoy what they read, but what’s the trick?  This is a question teachers have been wondering for generations, I’m sure…

As an adult, I mostly read books I am interested in and therefore am able to enjoy them that much more.  Unfortunately, I don’t read quite as much for pure enjoyment as I would like.  (Which is the reason for starting these summer book groups!)  But when I do and am able to process the stories with other adults, it is very satisfying.

I would love to see more of that sort of satisfaction in reading and responding in my students!

~EMP

Related posts:

1. Book Review for ME!
2. Summer Book Group

It’s a procedure on airplanes that attendents review each time passengers board the aircraft:  In case of emergency, put your oxygen mask on first and then assist those around you.   The idea is that if you take care of yourself first, you will be better able to care for your child or another passenger that may need assistance.

When I became a mom, this concept was reiterated, but in a new way.  The idea there was that we moms (and dads) need to take care of ourselves in order to be the best person we can be for our children.  This means we need to allow ourselves time to go out with friends every so often, have a date with our spouse (child-free), or sit in the quiet of our own company and partake in an activity we enjoy.

(Maybe you see where this is going…)

Now, I see this concept reigning true in our educational profession as well.  We teachers need to pacify their own needs to learn and experiment if we are to inspire our students to do the same.   When was the last time you read a book purely for the enjoyment of it?  The last time you took a class because you wanted to learn something new (not just get PDPs or credits)?  The last time you took a walk and let your curiosity lead the way?  If you are like me, the times are very few and far between.  But we need to put our own oxygen mask on first.  We should be feeding our own creative flames (with oxygen, if you will ) so that we can help students to be true life-long learners.

As the summer begins, I invite you join educators at The Inspired Classroom who are making the time to do just that.  Our Teacher Art Retreat is designed specifically for teachers to get their creative juices flowing in various art forms (visual, music, poetry and drama ) so that they can bring these experiences back to their own classrooms in a personal and meaningful way.  Our Summer Book Group is both an online and face-to-face experience shared by teachers around the world who want to enjoy and discuss a great book together.

I encourage you to do one or both of these activities with us, or find something else that will feed your own flame.  After all, if we take the time to breathe the oxygen first, we will be better equipped to lead the way for those around us!

~EMP

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I used to be the kid who got lost in dozens of books in the summertime.  I used any time or place I could to open up my latest Judy Blume or Babysitters Club book: backyard, beach, bedroom, a visit to Gramma’s, the waiting room at the doctor’s office…  I loved to read, to get sucked into a great story and make new friends on the pages between the two covers.

But then I grew up.

I had to read certain books by a certain date, had to read text, digest it and spit it back up on tests.  (That’s a funny image!)  I had to bone up on the latest educational trends, keep up with the times, and somewhere in there I lost the desire to read for enjoyment.  Sad, right?

Well, that all started to change last summer when I decided to read one, just ONE book for the pure enjoyment of it.  And it couldn’t be one of my old favorites.  (I often would pick up my childhood favorite Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret and read it in a few hours just to fill the need to read for enjoyment.)  No – I was determined to read a “big-girl” book.  So, I asked around for suggestions and when I asked my wonderful sister-in-law, a high school LA teacher in Exeter, NH, she and I started to stir something up.  Kristina and I quickly came up with a plan to start a book group for teachers and anyone else who was ready to take on a great book over the summer.  It was an exciting first step!

Last year we read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, but we didn’t just read it, we experienced it with food, indulgence, yoga, outings and lots of great online and face-to-face discussion.  This year, we are doing the same with The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  The wiki is live and ready to accept members!

It’s so important to remember what it means to read a book for the pure enjoyment of it.  Not so you can log minutes or study for a test, but to take a break and get lost in something new for a while.  It’s something we need to remember for our students too…  This is yet another example of how we need to lead by example.

So…. my Kindle is loaded up and I am excited to start this book!  Please join us and tell your friends.  No matter where you are in the world, we can read and enjoy this book together.

~EMP

Related posts:

1. Summer Reading
2. Why Practice Reading Skills Away from Reading?
3. Visualization in Reading and Music

Last week, I took my kids outside and for the first time, I let them run around while I . . . wait for it . . . READ!  For nearly 30 uninterrupted minutes!  It was amazing: relaxing and invigorating all at once.  The best part was that I was reading something that was unrelated to education and just for the fun of it.  (It was a short book a colleague of mine had written a few years back entitled, Ground Rule Double.)  This 30 minutes reminded me of how much I love to dive into a book and absorb myself in a story.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to read to keep up on my profession, but this was different.

At the end of the year, I find myself constantly overloading with work: reading, writing, updating this, planning that, keeping up with the latest technologies and software and widgets.  Then there are my responsibilities at school, not to mention those that await me at home.

Sound familiar???  Well, this is where being a teacher can come in handy – Summers!  Let’s face it, everyone deserves a break, a vacation and since we are fortunate enough to have one, we need to take advantage of this.

For many educators this means keeping up to date on professional development, reading up on the latest in educational trends and planning for next year .  It’s the same for me, but this summer I’m adding a twist!  This summer I have made a promise to myself to read not only for my profession but just for Me!  (I suggest you do the same!)

After asking a few of my reading friends what they suggest I read (after all, I want the best bang for my time), I have found a great option: Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  Everything I’ve heard about this book is great, even life altering and it is also coming out in theaters at the end of this summer.

But as I was talking about the book with my sister-in-law, Kristina, we thought it would be fun to do something much more with the book.  So we have and we want you to join us!  Here it is:

What: Summer Book Group for Eat, Pray, Love

Why: The Inspired Classroom is creating an Online/Face2Face book group just for the pure joy of reading, reflecting on self and connecting with others.

Who: This is for anyone (literally in the world) who would like to read and do some self-reflecting.  You do not have to be a teacher to join us for this.

How: We have set up a Wiki to use for our online discussions.  On this, you can read what others are saying, add to discussions and immerse yourself in all things about this book!  You can even add and share your own pages to this Wiki if you so desire.  You decide how much you want to be involved!  You will need to become a member of this Wiki to add to it, but that part is easy (and, of course free!)

When: We officially launched the Wiki and the book group Tuesday, June 15th.  But we have a fun launching party on June 22nd.  If you are interested in learning more about the book group, how to join the Wiki or just want to enjoy a little time together, join us for the Launch Party on June 22nd.  If you can’t make it, no worries, email us with questions or even better join us virtually on #ticchat where we will be tweeting live at all the Face2Face events!

More info about the Launch Party is on our Wiki Overview page! (You know you want to learn more…it includes Gelato!)

So,  SUMMER READING…  are you going to??  Please do some and join us!

WIKI: http://ticeatpraylove.wikispaces.com/

Launch Party info:  RSVP on FaceBook!

Related posts:

1. Summer Book Group
2. Why Practice Reading Skills Away from Reading?

Check out something fun we’re working on…

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