The year was 1971. I was nine years old and in the fourth grade. I had the wonderful and young Miss Backstrom as my teacher that year. That was the year of the Most Memorable Book Report Race. A little background to help set the scene. I must have been the shyest child in the …
Articles and stories about reading.
Scholastic Book Club
I think the Scholastic book club was one of the highlights of my elementary school years. I remember pouring over the leaflet we were sent home with. My parents said they would pay for two books, anything more and I had to use my own money. What a conundrum! Only two – unless I could …
Black Beauty
In 1969, when I was in first grade, my Easter present from my parents was an oversized illustrated copy of the book “Black Beauty” by Anna Sewell. It was one of the first chapter books that I can remember reading. It was such a mind opening experience. I remember sitting curled up in our totally …
First Memory of Reading
I related in a previous post that I remember the light bulb moment in kindergarten of putting together the alphabet song with the actual letters. So, it seems strange to me that I do not have any recollections of “cracking the code” of reading. Back in the 1960’s students were taught to read in the …
The alphabet
I think I will start by writing about the very beginning of my reading journey. My mom says she read to me as a small child, but I do not have any memory of that. My very first memory is in kindergarten (half day back in the 1960’s!) and singing the alphabet song. I never …