I Challenge you to read!

     "I am sorry, I just don't like reading." I swear I thought her eyes were going to pop out as she heard my words. I can tell she was counting to ten, then she smiled the cheesiest smile ever and replied, "We shall see about that, young lady." She had a very peculiar laugh and it will forever resonate in my head, especially when I reply the same phrase to my students when they make the same claim I did.

      6th grade, the beginning of middle school, the start of a new journey, the introduction and dry run of the most difficult and crucial time of your life, high school. In 6th grade I was very focused on the arts, performing arts. The only reading I enjoyed was the pieces that involved music notes. Also during this time I began to focus on the future and could not wait to start the engineering program in high school so I began to excel in my math courses earning me a spot in the AP and GT classes. Reading, I did only when I had to. I would read the required chapters or even used sparknotes.com. When I confessed to my reading teacher I did not enjoy reading, she did something no other reading teacher had ever done, she changed my mind. 

      It all started with a challenge, and not one to raise my grade either, just a challenge to force me to enjoy reading. She took the time to question me, get to know me and and recommended me a book to read. Before she handed me the book, she had my parents sign a form given her permission to give me the book. My parents of course didn't know English and I did not want to translate the whole letter so I just told them that their signature was to give the teacher permission to give me a book to read. Obviously, they signed it with no more questions. I still remember her face the day I turned the letter in, she was so excited to give me the book, but before she did that we had "the talk" (as she called it). She explained that I was to not talk to my classmates about the book and that the only reason she gave it to me is because she knew I was mature enough. I remember reading the cover, "The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory." Big deal I though, looking at the cover image, "it's a princess, I can't believe she thinks I'm going to like this." She was wrong, I loved it! I don't know what it was, the beginning maybe, starting out with an execution; or maybe the controversy; or the fact that the author was unmaking royalty; but the truth is, I couldn't put it down. 

        From that point on I read books like The Cay by Theodore Taylor, The Dragon of Lonely Island by Rebecca Pupp, The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld, Twilight by Stephanie Myer, and many more! I was so thankful for the extra time she dedicated me because she got me to love reading. That set the stage for high school where I actually enjoyed the books we had to read for class. Without her help, I don't think I would have survived reading The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand and not because it was a bad book simply because I would have given up by just looking at the size of it! 

        First year of teaching, I spent a lot money and Scholastic points building a classroom library with variety. I make reading challenges that involve reading x amount of pages, or x amount of books. I make my kids read at least three books that a friend recommended them, and three others that they don't think they would like. I talk about the books I have read with a big cheesy smile on. I dance and show excitement when a book order has arrived. I make sure to read books to them every single day. I even share with them the twitter, intagram and face book post of different children's authors. My hope is that at least every year I find my stubborn Cristina and change her mind just as Mrs.Beufford changed mine.