Refreshing and Useful

How to Teach a Love of Reading Without Getting Fired, by Mary Leonhardt is a book I came across while reading an education blog.

I read this at the start of the New Year, having made a resolution to do what students need, versus what the district states is important. Many points are made, to assist teachers with setting up student centered reading programs, but I am going to highlight two.

The first I have already used, to great success: If your administrator (principal or district level) complains that the students are, "just sitting around reading" ask if they'd object to kids sitting around, "just doing math"?

The other, to advocate for independent reading, is to point out it helps with all kinds of administrative headaches, such as inclusion for special ed, parents trying to censor books, and making accommodations for gifted kids.

This is a great read; both refreshing and useful for English teachers, reading specialists, and/or literacy teachers.