July 14, 2010 | "Whoa whoa I gotta go...back to schoooool...again",3rd Semester,Adv Children's Lit,Prescott College,Reading is FUNdamental,Road Trip Wednesday
Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.
You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.
Topic #37: What’s your favorite reading memory?
My favorite reading memories involve being read to. I’m currently reading Mem Fox’s READING MAGIC: WHY READING ALOUD TO OUR CHILDREN WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER for my ACL class. I have to write a documented essay on the importance of reading and thought how appropriate this was for this week’s RTW.
Mrs Yates.
5th grade.
Huffaker Elementary School
Reno, NV.
She was a little heavy-set, short in height, with hair dyed a light reddish tinge. She always wore too much make-up (rougey cheeks, vampire-white foundation, caked-on mascara, bright red lipstick) and ate tuna fish sandwiches or sardines. My best memory of this woman was when she read to us. By the end of the day, her lipstick had worn off to the point where all that was left was the lip liner. LOL. For some reason that fascinated me and occasionally I would watch her lips move. She would take off her shoes and walk up and the down aisles. I would close my eyes and let my senses take over:
The swish of her pantyhose.
The faint scent of her “old lady” perfume.
The jangle of her bracelets.
The rhythmic turning of the pages (she used to lick her finger before turning them).
The hypnotic up and down cadence of her voice.
I don’t remember any of the books she read to us, but she was amazing at reading them aloud.
Another read-aloud memory:
Mrs. Hornbaker
7th grade
Cocopah Middle School
Scottsdale, AZ
Short in stature, short gray hair, somewhat mannish (now that I think back on it, she was probably gay), blue eyes that bulged a bit, round cheeks that sounded like she was holding something in them every time she spoke. She too used to walk up and down the aisles as she introduced us to S.E. Hinton’s THE OUTSIDERS.
I’m addicted to books now. Totally. Addicted. If I had a stack of books, I could read all damn day. I have, in fact, done that at one time or another. This is, in part, thanks to my parents. But I also have to give credit to teachers like Mrs. Yates and Mrs. Hornbaker who made it even more enjoyable on a different level.
Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway, Mem Fox, READING MAGIC: WHY READING ALOUD TO OUR CHILDREN WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER, Huffaker Elementary School, Reno, NV, Cocopah Middle School, Scottsdale, AZ, S.E. Hinton, THE OUTSIDERS
Kate says:
I actually wrote a paper in college based on a character in a historical novel that my 6th grade teacher read us. They do make a difference!
Jessica Byam says:
I really appreciated this. It made me think back to the teachers who read to me. I usually think of my Mom when I remember being read to, but this was nice. Thank you!
Celise says:
Jessica – Thanks for stopping by! Glad you enjoyed the post. I’m pretty sure my Mom read aloud to me, too, but for some reason these two were my most vivid memories.
Celise says:
Kate – Good to know that a teacher from way back was able to influence you after all this time. Teachers are so under-rated and unappreciated these days.
Amanda says:
My love of reading was definitely due to my parents reading stories aloud to us when we were little and I was lucky to have great teachers who did the same for the first few years of school. Makes such an impact.
Nice post!
Celise says:
Amanda – Thanks! Glad you stopped by.