Donalyn Miller Opens Share a Story 2012

Welcome to the best Monday in March! We are so glad you are joining us for Share a Story - Shape a Future 2012.

If you're new to our annual blog tour, we invite you to look around. For each of our four years we've picked one over-arching theme for the week. Then, all week long, bloggers gather to share ideas and recommendations on one facet of that theme.

Looking at it as a flower may help. One bloom comprises multiple petals, a stem, and leaves ... all necessary pieces to the beautiful blossom we enjoy.

Okay, let's get on with the show!

Our theme this year is the Culture of Reading, and Donalyn Miller kick-starts our event by talking about Creating a Reading Culture. She and her guests will explain what a "reading culture" is, and offer ways to encourage kids to read more at home and school, as well as across age groups.

Here's what's on tap today ...

Creating a Reading Culture at Home by Donalyn Miller @ The Book Whisperer
Parents often ask teachers and librarians for tips on how to encourage their children to read more at home. The conditions that foster lifelong reading habits in children are remarkably robust and apply to both home and school reading. Continue reading ...

Building a Reading Culture in the Secondary Classroom by Sarah Mulhern @ The Reading Zone
I have an obsession with reading. Some might say that is an unhealthy obsession (my husband is reminding me that our house is a fire hazard), but I disagree. I can’t imagine my life without reading, so I make it my mission to share that love with the students at my high school. Continue reading ...

Reading Culture and Preservice Teachers by Kristin McIlhagga @ Children's Literature Crossroads
As I was getting ready to write this, I decided to reread the Share a Story, Shape a Future website. What stood out to me particularly about the topic of A Reading Culture was the idea of stretching and pushing thinking about the concept beyond an elementary setting. I was excited about this because I’ve been thinking quite a lot about creating a reading culture with the students in my children’s literature and young adult literature course. Continue reading ...

Building a Classroom Reading Culture by Cynthia Alaniz @ Teaching in Cute Shoes
Cynthia has two recent posts that I think you'll love ... and which are both perfect fits for today's mini-theme. In What's My Prize? she shares how her students have taken charge of celebrating their reading accomplishments without smiley-face stickers or reading logs. Her post just before that is titled Would I Want to Learn in My Classroom? and closes with a simple explanation: a classroom is like home to kids.

Offer Choice--Share a Story/ Shape a Future by Doris Herrman @ Reading, Writing, and Chocolate
As a new reading teacher I spent many years trying to help discover the love of the written word. After all, I LOVE to read. If I love to read my students should love to read. It makes sense, doesn't it? Then, reality hit. Continue reading ...

Creating a Reading Culture in Mrs. Selke's Lair by Maria Selke @ Maria's Melange
Life is difficult when you work with students who don’t like to read. How do you coax a dormant reader into full flower? Though that is hard, it can be just as tricky to wrangle voracious readers. Yes, they always have books in their hands, but how can I help them grow? Continue Reading ...

Creating a Reading Culture from a Distance by Beth Stilborn @ By Word of Beth
What about people like me, who have no children of our own, are not librarians or teachers — can we play a role in creating a reading culture? The answer is a resounding YES! I am a writer, so one might say I have a vested interest in making sure kids keep reading, but truthfully that’s not my primary motivation ... What can people like me do, to help get kids reading? Continue reading ...


I will be back several times today to update links as they go live. If you'd like to add a post, be sure to put the link in the comments. I'll pull it into the main post!