World Read Aloud Day Blog Challenge #1

On Saturday, February 8, 2014, I received a tweet from elementary teacher-librarian Matthew Winner (Twitter @MatthewWinner), known as "The Busy Librarian."  His tweet is challenging World Read Aloud Day participants to accept the World Read Aloud Day Blogging Challenge.  It is a four week blogging challenge.  You can follow Matthew Winner's blog http://www.busylibrarian.com/ . More specifically, you can read about World Read Aloud from Matthew Winner's perspective by clicking on http://www.busylibrarian.com/2014/02/world-read-aloud-day-2014.html . Even more specifically, you can read about the World Read Aloud Blogging Challenge by clicking on http://www.busylibrarian.com/2014/02/world-read-aloud-day-blogging-challenge.html.

As a recent newbie to blogging (established January 2014), of course, I am up for this World Read Aloud Lit Day blogging challenge.  On Monday, Feburary 10, 2014, I wrote a blog post on how I will be Connecting with Others to Celebrate World Read Aloud Day on March 3-7, 2014 . I missed last week's WRAD Blog Challenge #1, so this week I am writing 2 blog posts, last week's challenge #1 and this week's challenge #2! Ever since I started blogging in January, I have discovered how much I enjoy blogging, so this World Read Aloud Day Blogging Challenge is one I am eager to participate in.

WRAD Blog Challenge #1

Week 1: February 10 - 16

What is your earliest or fondest memory in which someone read aloud to you?

I have always enjoyed listening to someone read aloud to me, ever since I was a little girl.  I will never forget the year The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg came out and it was read aloud to me in 3rd grade.  After listening to the book, I wanted a copy of my own for Christmas.  On Christmas morning, I will never forget opening the package with the book, a cassette tape, and that magic bell.  I LOVE how this book still brings magic to students today, because it certainly has brought magic to me!

As a junior in college at University of Northern Iowa (UNI), I will always remember that first semester, when I took Children's Literature!  By the way, a side note, since my undergraduate degree in elementary education from University of Northern Iowa, I have taken Children's Literature for my K-12 reading endorsement (Buena Vista University), and now my library media education master's degree (Minnesota State University Mankato).  Despite the fact that I have completed three Children's Literature courses at the college level, I consider it to be one of my top favorite classes that never gets old.

I will never forget the day that my UNI professor invited a guest storyteller into our room, and she read aloud to us.  She read three stories that day, but the one book I will never ever forget and still makes an impact on how I read aloud today.  I will never forget all the fun voices this storyteller used to read Piggie Pie by Margie Palantini.  In my head, I can still hear this storyteller using a loud, obnoxious voice for the Grinch, which is the same voice I try to replicate today when I read aloud to students. :)

Another person that made (and still does) quite an positive impact and influence on me with read alouds is Del Brink, teacher-librarian at Westridge Elementary and Western Hills Elementary in West Des Moines Community School District.  I had the privilege of watching Del in action when I was a student-teacher at Westridge Elementary (Spring 2004).  I was mesmerized by his voices, expression, enthusiasm, and passion during read alouds and book talks.  He is a master at giving books talks!  Watching students eagerly listen to him is something I will never forget!  Del is absolutely 100% spot-on when it comes "the power of read alouds and book talks!"

As I read aloud to students, I always keep in mind those who modeled the best read alouds, especially those mentioned in this blog post!  I strive to model the best possible expression, voices, passion, and a genuine love for each book.

I hope, one day in the future, the students I have taught can recall one of "their earliest or fondest memory in which someone read aloud."  Who knows, maybe it will be a book I read aloud to them?! ;)

You can read my previous blog post on what I am doing for World Read Aloud Day 2014 by clicking here.