A Love of Reading

Recently I listened to the Cult of Pedagogy Podcast that addressed the dangers of teacher nostalgia - more specifically the notion that students were "better" or "worked harder" back in an undefined day or era. This concept has made me pause, especially as we lament over frustrations with incomplete work and unread pages. In moments of frustration over a given lesson or class period that was not as productive or enriching as I might have hoped, it is easy to place blame or express frustration toward "kids these days."

While the life of a sixteen-year-old is vastly different from my relatively social media free days (Let's not forget MySpace, AIM, or the ocassional favorites list on Xanga), the lack of follow through on students with reading and homework assignments is not necessarily a reflection of my students or the choices they make. As I speak more to students about the reasons they do not complete homework in my class or any class are often related to work obligations, home life struggles, or merely feeling the burden of busyness. In our conversations, I have realized that I need to own the problem a little more and consider how to re-approach and re-engage my students who are often struggling with finding work-life harmony in their lives and schedules. As the world shifts and the constant flow of messages in the shape of notifications and emails bombard my students, I must reflect and learn how to break through the noise to reach them.

Recently I had the opportunity to attend and present at the annual Illinois Association of Teachers of English conference in which several fantastic authors and speakers shared their passion for storytelling and empathy. Authors Jeff Zentner (Goodbye Days is a thought-provoking story), Brendan Kiely (All American Boys is a book that I could not put down), and Laurie Halse Anderson (Speak, Twisted, The Impossible Knife of Memory - all beautifully written) all shared their own stories and pursuits with storytelling. These authors passionately shared their journeys with literacy and connecting to other people through literature and a genuine love for books. Inspired by their messages, I realize that I need to rethink how I allocate the precious time I have with my students and provide them with more opportunities to access stories and engage with texts. Not only do I hope to educate my students' minds, but I also want to educate their hearts, which will serve them in any avenue of life they pursue. Building a love of reading creates more empathetic, curious, and courageous people, which can lead to personal growth and academic success as well.

This past week, I have followed the advice of Penny Kittle and allocated reading time each day to start my class. Check out her video "Why Students Don't Read" for motivation to rethink reading practices in the classroom. Placing all devices, including Chromebooks away, I have distributed paper reading logs and posted a timer on the board indicating how long students will read. As the week progressed, I watched my classroom transform. Students walked into class and plopped down in their favorite reading spot in the classroom. No one hesitated to place cell phones in bags, and more surprisingly, the literary analysis paper over themes in The Catcher in the Rye that was due on Thursday came in with 100% turn-in rate. Granted, I had a few students that certainly need to revise and rework their papers, but they all were completed. With less time to draft in class, students focused more and were more efficient with their daily tasks when they were given the first few minutes of class to refocus their thoughts and read a text because they love a book.

• Sukow, what are you reading? That cover looks cool. 
• I couldn't put this book down. 
• Oh man, I actually like this book!
• I finished my book. Can I go check out another one? 

Stories allow us to walk in someone's shoes, gain perspective, and build empathy. When we read and build literacy skills, we can recognize that everyone experiences obstacles and even if we disagree, we are far more alike than we realize. Reading also challenges us to be more thoughtful and reflective. Instead of hearing the noise of notifications and words being sent to us from many avenues, when we take the time to read and listen to stories, we learn to be more engaged citizens who can critically think and act for a greater good. Fostering a love of reading has already paid out dividends in my classroom. I have never had 100% of my students turn in a literary analysis paper on time (and early in several cases).

My goal is to incorporate independent reading at least three times a week for ten minutes. While we may lose time for activities, what my students gain will hopefully be so much more. Teaching is a journey and a constant learning process. As I continue on my path, I hope to rewrite the narrative on student engagement and their attitudes toward reading. Reading begets critical thinking and a love of learning. May my students never cease being curious, caring, creators of great ideas and wonderful work.

When September Ends

October finally hit. At eight months, Jordan’s position had shifted off the vein that was causing unthinkable and constant pain to the right side of my body. The swelling and bruising began to wane. If the remaining six weeks were like this, I could happily carry him to term. After months of throbbing legs and continuous discomfort, I felt relief. In that first week of October, when a physical sense of comfort came and the excitement of completing our family with a beautiful baby boy became my focus, a thought crept into my mind – something suddenly feels too good to be true.

October - a season of change. Crisp leaves are now crunching on the ground marking the turn of another season and the passage of time. The fall is typically a season that has marked significant changes in our lives - an engagement, marriage, purchasing our home, and the birth of all three of our children; we have had a busy decade. While the air cools, our hearts have been warmed by a growing family and hope for many happy memories to come. This fall I have found myself transported back a year ago when my mantra was “Life will be so much easier when he’s out.” Acknowledging that this mantra was far from the truth was a difficult reality for me to accept. As these sentiments continued to echo in my mind for months after his birth, I grieved the notion that his life was going to be free from the worry and pain that had dominated my pregnancy.


This year has challenged me to reconsider how I choose to devote my attention and energy. Finding more profound joy in the everyday moments that we often take for granted is at the forefront of my mind. Life is fragile and precious, and the moments that are sweet should be treasured.

Flash-forward to the present, and I cannot believe that Jordan is almost one year old. With shining blue eyes like his father, he is captivating and charming. He single-handedly has pulled the paper roll off doctors’ tables on several occasions and knows how to make nurses laugh. Already, he likes to play chase around our living room floor, even though he lackadaisically moves and selectively chooses when he wants to sit up. As the third child with two older sisters who regularly pretend to play mom, why would any small child feel compelled to move independently?

I am filled with a quiet trepidation with this calendar change. Jordan, no longer a baby, may now face more complications, more treatments, and more unknowns. At the same time, his personality is growing. Jordan has been snuggling more than ever before and makes his opinions about toys, his sisters, guests and our dogs known to the world. First words are budding, and laughter is at an all-time high. Unaware of any challenges that he may face, he looks at the world with fresh eyes as he seeks smiles from the people he loves. Hoping to see the world through his lens, I know that maintaining his health seems daunting to me but is his version of normal. Understanding more about his body than the average little boy, he will always know a world where he is reliant on enzymes to digest and absorb fat and salt. He will always have lung treatments and need to be cautious during flu season, and yet, he will have a deeper appreciation for each breath and each opportunity he is fortunate enough to experience. In spite of Jordan’s disease, I can breathe a sigh of relief. While I am still struggling with accepting his genetic fate, I am hopeful that he will have a unique outlook on the value of each day that will allow him to have a beautiful life.

Super Jordan

Still, my greatest fear is an ache that any mother feels - that my child will struggle or suffer. My husband reminds me that we all will suffer at some point, but we have loved ones who will help us through that pain. Placing myself in moments when extreme allergic reactions or seasonal sicknesses have tightened my lungs, I realize that I have only felt a temporary, minor discomfort when compared to a CF person’s struggle to breathe each day. I cannot even begin to imagine this struggle. I don’t want him to feel that pain, and I know that witnessing that pain will always weigh heavily on my heart. Just as a runner feels when nearing the end of a long race, this emotional fatigue can be overcome and a hurdle can be tackled.

Very early in our journey with CF, my brother reminded me that when a time comes to worry or feel anxiety, he will be the first person to embrace those feelings if necessary, but until then, we should choose joy. As I consider the values and strengths countless distance runners like my brother embrace, I am encouraged by their stamina and beliefs that a single human can accomplish great feats through discipline, training, and willpower. “Pain is temporary, but glory is forever” is a quote famously quipped by the distance runner, Steve Prefontaine, who served as my brother’s hero when we were in high school. While I can appreciate a person like Prefontaine with mental toughness and physical prowess beyond measure, I’d like to argue that Prefontaine only had his mantra half right. Pain IS temporary, but love - love is forever.