Runs with Glue

I have always loved reading for as long as I can remember.  I love to curl up on the couch and open a book, especially when it is raining outside.  It’s relaxing to me.  As a teacher, I’ve used children’s books in my lessons for middle school students; even my most antsy students will sit still for a little while to be read to.  I’ve read books out loud during Project Read time, and read a 4 year old books to help him develop his reading skills and hopefully love reading in the future. Two of my favorite stores are bookstores: Barnes and Noble and Half-Price Books (one of the greatest ideas ever!).  There is an elite prep school in Massachusetts that is getting rid of their books and replacing them with more computers, a coffee shop with a $12,000 cappuccino machine, flat-screen televisions, and 18 handheld digital e-readers.  While they are donating their books to other schools, the idea of not having a library with books that you can actually touch and turn actual pages is ridiculous.  I realize that having technology is an important part of the classroom, the educational process and is the foundation of our global society but that is no reason to take away books from an entire school!  (Mind you tuition at this elite prep school is over $40,000 a year!) So while I love technology and all things gadget, my books - the real ones with paper and ink - will always have a beloved place in my heart and all I can do is hope that taking books out of the library does not become a common place in our world.  I promise to continue to teach my students that reading an actual book can take you to faraway places, scare the living daylights out of you, and inspire you to take action all from the comfort of your favorite place to sit.