Mrs. Houston

My Reading Philosophy:

How do people get better at playing a sport? Is it by studying all of the skills necessary and watching others perform those skills from the sidelines? No! Players must practice all of the skills the coach has taught them and rack up playing time! The more time the player spends playing on the field the better the player becomes. The player encounters all sorts of scenarios on the field that he/she must think through and, on his/her own, decipher how to best apply the skills learned from the coach. These scenarios can only be experienced through playing the game and each time the player learns something new about the game, about him/herself as a player, and increases in his/her ability. It is the same with reading! People must read, read, read in order to improve their reading, become more confident as a reader, see themselves as readers, and grow to love it.

Why is it so important to not only be a good reader, but to actually become a READER, a person for whom reading has become a part of his/her life, a person for whom reading has become as essential to life as breathing? Well, avid readers have an increased vocabulary, better spelling skills, increased fluency and comprehension, better writing and communication skills, and an ability to think deeper and more creatively than those who do not read. As an added benefit, those who read regularly have a better understanding of relationships with others, a better understanding of themselves, and the world around them. What better way to help our children grow as individuals intellectually, emotionally, and to provide more depth to their lives?