December has been a crazy month as we wrapped up the school year. My seniors are already experiencing a heavy dose of senioritis. It’s been an adventure researching teaching strategies and working on content that they’ll find engaging. (Note: Macbeth the graphic novel has been a huge help in getting them interested in the play.)
One of my goals for the new year is to incorporate independent reading into my lessons. It’s really hit home that, if I can’t get excited about the works that I’m teaching, I can’t teach students to love it either.
Well, I love reading what I love to read, and I love helping others find new books to love. The best way to encourage students to learn what they love to read (because too many don’t enjoy reading) is to give them the opportunity to learn what they love to read.
If you have book recommendations, I’d love if you’d send me an email or drop a comment, so we can talk more about them. I’m also more than happy to take book donations if you’re looking to get rid of some old books. To cultivate an independent-reading friendly classroom, I need to build a classroom library filled with diverse reads, and supplying a classroom with books is a pricey venture.
In the meantime, following are seven things I learned during this season as well as the list of books that I read in December and a list of books that I read.
What I Learned in December
Run before dinner
I started commuting over an hour for work this fall. This has thrown my morning / evening routines into chaos as I struggled to make time for everything outside of work. While I’m still sorting through other daily rituals, I’ve learned that exercise generally won’t happen if I wait until after dinner because I’m already so tired, but if I exercise before dinner, I feel equipped to make what matters happen that evening.
Go to bed earlier
I wake up before 6 a.m. to beat the morning rush hour traffic to work. While I enjoy spending time with family, I’ve learned that I need to prioritize sleep if I want to have quality time with them (and everyone else). Without good rest, I don’t have the energy to cultivate meaningful relationships.
Go home “early” some days
I grew a habit of staying at work up to an hour or two after the school day ends. (I’m a high-school English teacher.) I hate driving in after-work traffic, and I’d also somehow become the sponsor of three clubs. After my health started dropping, I took some days off from club activities and left for home right after the final bell for the day. The extra time at home with family has been nourishing for my soul. And it has made my puppy very happy 🙂
…but also get out of the house
With all the stress closing out the fall semester, all I wanted was to rest at home, but I knew that I wouldn’t regret getting out of my house once I did leave it. I had some fun outings this month hanging out at HPB with a friend, going to my church group’s Christmas party, and serving with my parents’ church group in the local community. Not to mention walking the puppy and taking her to the dog park. She’s always happy to remind me to get off the couch and play! (And I love her for that.)
Keep an audiobook or podcast ready on my phone
I commute over two hours in total every day. Audiobooks and the occasional podcast have helped me not only get through the long commute but even enjoy my time in the car.
Hot soup and tea make cold days better
Family, friends, and students know my distaste for cold wintry days . . . have I mentioned that I live in the South? (Yes, forty-degree weather makes me cringe, and I don’t pray for a white Christmas.)
Hot soups and teas have given me comfort this winter. Just this past week, I learned a lentil minestrone recipe that is a new favorite.
Read a bookstore find (without first looking up reviews)
While at Half Price Books with a friend, I found a copy of The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski. I remembered hearing about it in the past and decided, on a whim, to purchase it. I resisted the urge to look up reviews because I knew that I would find some reason to leave it behind in the store. Despite my qualms about the romance-focused synopsis, I ended up really liking the novel.
Books I Read
- Deltora Quest #4 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Quest #5 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Quest #6 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Quest #7 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Quest #8 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Shadowlands #1 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Shadowlands #2 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Shadowlands #3 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Dragons #1 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Dragons #2 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Dragons #3 by Emily Rodda
- Deltora Dragons #4 by Emily Rodda
- (Audiobook) Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin
- (Audiobook) Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
- A Simplified Life by Emily Ley
- The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
- The Winner’s Crime by Marie Rutkoski
- Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
- The Bullet Journal Method by Ryder Carroll
- Spark Joy by Marie Kondo
- Tithe by Holly Black
Total books read: 21
ShootingStarsMag says
I love that you want to instill a love of reading in your classroom, and you try and get students to find what they LIKE to read, because it’s not always going to be the books teachers MAKE them read.
Sounds like you had a really nice month – lots of rest, but also plenty of getting out of the house and enjoying friends and family. We all need a nice mix of that.
-Lauren
Crystal says
Thanks, Lauren! I remember how hard it was when I didn’t like the class reading, and I love reading. Many of my students don’t reading willingly. My hope is that they leave my classroom with a positive experience with at least one book and an idea of what kinds of books they like. The best way to provide this is through a classroom library and independent reading time.
It’s been a really good month for rest. It’s also good for my reading life since it encourages me to take time for myself! 🙂
CG @ Paper Fury says
Ahh that sounds like December was a really intense time for you, but also that’s such a good self-care list and I’m glad you’ve found routines and things that work for you!! I adore audiobooks for commuting times. That always feels like such a waste of time, right?! But audiobooks and podcasts and things mean yessss, one can still read!! (And LOVE soup too. I live in the tropics but I’m a soup kinda person every day haha.)
Crystal says
Thanks, Cait! I love how audiobooks let me read hands free 🙂 (I still drink soup in the summer, haha. I love it so much!)