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| It's our responsibility to introduce students to the many, wonderful ways to learn. |
In fact, it wasn't until third grade that I read the first book that I loved by myself.
This momentous event happened in Ms. McLaughlin's third grade class. I was seated in the third to last seat in the window row--the row next to the giant windows that overlooked our big, grassy playground. Along the windowsill, there was an array of picture books carefully displayed. As children fooled and talked, Ms. McLaughlin reminded us that it was a silent study time--no talking.
I looked around and noticed what others were doing. My life seldom had quiet as I was the eldest child of six in a busy, small house of five children and two parents at the time. We didn't have a lot of books and we spent most of our time playing inside and outside. After I watched the others for a while, I finally picked up one of the books on the window sill. I started reading. It was amazing as the characters in the book were so similar to my family, and the problems were similar to problems I had too. I read with more interest to see how these characters solved the problem. At the time, I thought I was the only one with a problem like that. I read and read, and my thirst for reading started.
So today as I introduced my students to the learning palette and the sometimes advantage of silence, I was reminded of that momentous learning day in wonderful Ms. McLaughlin's third grade class at Indian Hill School in Worcester, Massachusetts so many years ago.
