RES 5535: Race, Class, and Gender in Literacy Research (summer 2010)

My name is currently Abby Boughton, and am excited for it is about to change in four months as I am getting married in October! I teach third grade at Shuford Elementary in Conover and am finishing up my sixth year. I recieved my National Board certification last year and am getting geared up for a grade level change to Kindergarten next year, and finish this program in the spring!

Growing up I remember reading books every night before bed. My sisters and I would play teacher and read (or try to) to our pretend class. I don't remember a lot about my past with books, but I do know I didn't mind reading. I know it wasn't a subject that I disliked. My favorite series as a kid was The Boxcar Children. I think my mom still has the whole set!

As an adult, I don't take the time to read. I have tried to get into reading before bed but found I would read a few pages, then fall asleep. I wasn't getting any books read that way, and now that I am taking grad classes, I don't read at all for fun. I do enjoy reading, but I'd much rather read when I have no other reading that I have to do.
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The area least familiar to me in teaching had always been reading. I felt I didn't know the correct strategies or didn't have the right knowledge and research to properly teach all my students. That was my major reason for starting in this program. Since starting this program, I have become more interested in bringing more projects into my reading block. past spring I didn't do that as much because I was focused on guided reading groups. I really wanted to make those groups as effective as possible, and found the structure of it all to be a constant work in progress. I think all the ideas that I have gained through my classes has inspired me to want to try more projects, but since I'm going to Kindergarten, I'll have to wait on that!