# data[].attributes.body
When I was a young child, my mom would read to me every night before bed. These are the moments that made reading my favorite childhood past time. My favorites were Ickle Me, Pickle Me, Tickle Me Too by Shel Silverstein, Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, and the Babysitter's Club series by Ann M. Martin.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Poem by Shel Silverstien. Another practice read.

# data[].attributes.body
In fourth grade, my best friend Alecia would come over almost every Friday night. One week, we decided to write a play. The play was several pages long and it was about twin girls on the Titanic. This is the first time I remember writing creatively and collaboratively.

# data[].attributes.body
Fifth grade was fun! Mr. Sloppy went on sabbatical halfway through the year, so I had him and Mrs. McGee. This year, I remember two distinct creative writing assignments. The first was a poetry writing contest. I wrote a four-line poem about Halloween. It was chosen to be published in a book of children's poetry. The second was a writing assignment for Social Studies. My writing was about a kid that traveled the world on a dolphin. I sat in front of my globe and just wrote. The story ended up being two pages handwritten, front and back. The assignment required half of a page. This is when I first enjoyed writing creatively.

# data[].attributes.body
When Mom was working later in the evenings, my younger brother would ask me to read him to sleep. I specifically remember reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to him one night. This was before I was a big Harry Potter fan. It was great practice for reading aloud!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Chapters 16-18 Part 4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Audiobook The intent for this video was originally for my 2nd grade class, but it is to also allow those who cannot read or small children to enjoy this series, as well. Written by the wonderful J.K. Rowling All photos used from the Warner Brothers movie of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

# data[].attributes.body
My 6th grade teacher, Mr. Gradek, introduced me to my favorite book, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. It really started me on the genre of historical fiction, specifically the Holocaust. Mr. Gradek was also the last teacher I remember reading full books aloud to us. He read The Giver by Lois Lowry and The Cay by Theodore Taylor.

# data[].attributes.body
These are the years that my love for books really formed. I would stay up all night reading. I would read any books I could get my hands on. When it was time for the sun to come up, I would go sit on the front porch or the roof and just keep reading. It was my favorite time to read.

# data[].attributes.body
The Summer of 2004 was difficult for me. That summer, I moved two hours away from my home and my extended family. I was not happy. My best friend Sara gave me a bag of 30+ books to borrow. Most of these books were written by Sarah Dessen and Meg Cabot. I was a teenager in a new town with no friends. I was angry at my parents for making me move in high school. I spent a week holed up in my new room, just reading. This is when I realized I used reading as an escape. When school started that August, Mr. Best, my new Social Studies teacher, asked the class who read over the summer. He started with books, magazines, and newspapers. He made is way to 15 or more books. I was the only one left with my hand raised, which boggled my mind. I didn't realize other people didn't like to read so much. Coincidentally, Mr. Best made us read a variety of books during my two years in his class. When he made us read Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane, I realized I didn't like it when teachers assigned us books. It was difficult for me to read, and I truly enjoy reading historical fiction novels. However, I learned I preferred reading over the summer because I could have free choice over my books, which I didn't get over the school year.

# data[].attributes.body
During my first semester in college, I had to take Biology. Biology was never one of my strong suits. I studied harder than I ever had, but I still managed to get D's and F's on most of my quizzes/tests. However, we had one paper to write. I got an A on that paper. It was about MRSA. I'm positive that I earned a C in that class because I knew how to write a paper.

# data[].attributes.body
At Slippery Rock University, I earned a dual degree in Elementary (K-6) and Special Education (K-12). I came to the Harrisburg area with the intent of becoming an elementary school teacher. After two years of substituting, a woman came into the shoe store I was working at. She was the secretary in the Special Education department at the local career and technical high school. She told me how they were looking for a reading teacher. I kind of shrugged it off because I had never taught reading before. A co-worker at another job also talked to me about this reading position. The secretary came back in to the shoe store and finally convinced me to apply. It was never in my plans, but this job was life-changing. It also has encouraged me to pursue a literacy education degree. Reading isn’t really my background, so I need that background in order to help my students better.

# data[].attributes.body
Every day is a challenge at school. In the best way. My students are at a point where reading is difficult, they’ve gotten to high school without compensating, and they see no point in it since many of them plan on going right into the work force since they are learning employable skills in their shops. Yet every year, I am able to turn a handful of students into readers. They enjoy reading and their reading comprehension improves to the point where they don’t need reading classes anymore.