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Inspirational Reading

In: English and Literature

Submitted By okguard88
Words 565
Pages 3
Inspirational Reading Learning to read never seemed like a very big deal to me because I was able to learn so quickly at a very young age. It never occurred to me that someone could possibly need help learning something that had come so easily to me. In the sixth grade, I realized that it isn’t always so easy for everyone. On the first day of my sixth grade year, my teacher, Mrs. Cummings, informed my class that we would be reading to the kindergarten class in a couple of weeks. We were instructed to pick a children’s book that we thought the kindergartners would enjoy. Keeping this in mind, I chose a book that I always enjoyed and in fact had been taught to read with, The Little Engine That Could. I could still remember my mother reading it to me as I lay in bed hoping that my infant brother didn’t wake up until she had finished the story. So with my memories of this great story, I was certain that the kindergarteners would enjoy it as much as I had. As the day got closer I began to think about how boring this task really seemed to my classmates. It made no sense to them to have to read to a bunch of little kids that would soon be learning to read themselves. What they didn’t realize at the time was that some of the children would actually be inspired to read. At last, the day had come. Mrs. Cummings lined us all up single file and marched us across the street to the elementary school. Upon entering the building I was reminded of my days roaming these halls. The familiar smell of musty books and the colorful, somewhat sloppy artwork on the white, cinder block walls sent me back to the third grade. In the kindergarten classroom the young students were just finishing up an art project. After they had put everything away they were split into groups of three and placed with the sixth grader that would be reading to them. I was placed with two shy, quiet little boys and a little girl that never seemed to sit still. Introductions complete, the little girl began to question me, “ what are you going to read us?” I replied with, “The Little Engine That Could.” “That’s a stupid story. You can’t read us a different one?” she seemed to sneer back at me. Feeling somewhat offended, I retorted, “ Its not stupid. Can you even read?” When she confirmed that she couldn’t in fact read I instructed the trio to sit and I began my story. As I read got further into the story I could sense their interest becoming peaked. When the little engine climbed the mountain and seemed like it may not make it over the top I could hear the children suck in their breath in anticipation. Once the engine began it’s decent I looked into their faces and noticed the relief in their eyes. I’m not sure how much my short time with them affected their young minds or if they even learned to read with the sense of joy and escape that I get with a good book. The awe in their eyes and the look on their faces always reminds me that just a short story influenced my reading habits and possibly theirs as well.

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