Summer--to
me-- has always meant the luxury of having the time to read. I save
stacks of books for the summer when I can just relax and savor my
reading. I gather together books whose reviews have intrigued me, those
that have been recommended by friends, students, and colleagues, and
books on subjects I find interesting. Then I find a cool, comfortable
place and jump in.
Through my reading I become a world traveler. I explore new places
and "meet" new characters. Often, I find out something I never knew and
then explore that subject in many different ways. For example, when I
read The Help
I became interested in Southern cooking. Then I read some cookbooks
devoted to Southern cooking and its history. Before you knew it, I was
wrapped up in the culture of the South, the history of cooking in the
South, the Civil War, the Civil Rights movement in the South, and a
whole host of related topics. You just never know where a book will lead
you.
Some people
(me included), call that, "education." We who read KNOW things. We are
then curious about other things. We experience things outside our
everyday lives. We become smart, and knowledge is power; as good a
reason to read as any I've ever heard.
This summer I am asking my students to read with me and share their
thoughts and reflections on what we've read together. Parents can join
in. Teachers are invited too. As a community of readers, we will all
add something unique to the conversation.
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