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Books have always played a significant role in my growth and development.  As a child, the smell, feel and content of books provided me with a venue to discover, escape and learn.
Growing up in the 80's, literacy instruction did not involve digital or media technologies.  I spent a lot of time visiting the public library as well as bookstores that no longer exist such as Lauriat's and Waldenbooks.

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My mother understood the importance of literacy and started reading to me at an early age.  Although she was a slow reader and would sometimes stumble over her words, she always took the time to read to me whenever we had a calm moment or before bedtime.
When I was learning to read she maintained a level of patience that never made me feel anxious or awkward.  I became aware of the perseverance and focus required for reading as well as listening.
Family members and visitors soon became aware that I was bitten by the reading bug and would make time to sit and read to me.

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My nursery school experiences provided a stable, enjoyable foundation for my educational career.  I LOVED my teacher, Mrs. Cahill, who would read and sing to us.  I remember my emotional response when she sang “The Rainbow Connection” to us and accompanyied the song on her autoharp.  The song still moves me and I ALWAYS think of Mrs. Cahill when I hear it.
It was at that young age that I became aware of how I connected emotionally to lyrics, melody and instrumentation.

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It wasn’t until I attended first grade that I began my journey of learning to read.  The class was divided into 3 reading groups: Group 1 - strong readers, Group 2 – intermediate readers and Group 3 – readers who were at a lower reading level.  I think that the reading levels even had names assigned to them.: “The Sunnies”, The Red Barons" and “The Stormies”.  I don't recall what the middle group (the group I was in) was named.  The class as a whole worked on a series of phonics workbooks.  My elderly first grade teacher, Mrs. Moran lost her patience a lot during the reading groups and I remember her lifting one of my classmates out of his chair by his shirt to remove him from the group because he was having difficulty.
Times were different in school systems back then and my teacher had an approach to teaching that reflected corporal punishment and our desire to learn was driven by fear.

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In first grade we began to read the Moonbeam book series.  I remember that the reading assignments were to be completed at home and we were required to write a brief summary to demonstrate an understanding of what we read.  I worked with my mother on my assignments at the living room coffee table and there was a lot of emphasis on the neatness of my writing and the accuracy of the margins.
My written responses were recorded and collected in a journal.  I also used this journal to write short poems where I would rhyme words such as: pig, wig, might, kite.

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I always had a passion for paper, pens, pencils and erasers.  Whenever I went to the mall or other specialty stores with my mom and dad, I would find the coolest writing utensil or writing pads/kits and they would buy it for me.  Afterwards, I would spend hours drawing or practicing my cursive writing.

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Throughout elementary school I read the Beverly Cleary series and eventually Judy Bloom books that provided more mature reading content that aligned with my developmental stages and experiences.

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As a young child I was consumed with dance and theater and would attend classes that exposed me to various art/dance forms/techniques.  I would occasionally see dance presented on the local PBS station or in a rare live performance.  The only way I could visually study dance outside of the classroom was by pouring over books in the public library.  I would study the aesthetics of the dancers and read about the history of dance.  (How I wish that we had the internet and youtube back then!)

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When I was 12 years old my parents bought me a book called On Stage, Please.  I had always loved dance but it wasn’t until I read this story about a young girl and her participation in a pre-professional ballet school that I was inspired me to take my ballet training more seriously and think about pursuing dance as a profession. I fell in love with how the author described structure of professional dance as well as the level of focus and dedication required to succeed and achieve goals.

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Reflecting back, it is clear that reading and dance had similarities that resonated throughout my learning and performing career.  Like with reading, I connected with the phrasing, content and meaning of the movement that I was interpreting.
The relationship between movement, meaning and music helped develop my sense of artistry.

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Albatrosses, Transparent Eyeballs and Hamlet

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Albatrosses, Transparent Eyeballs and Hamlet

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In high school I was overwhelmed and challenged.  I attended an all-girls catholic high school that was home to many students who achieved academic and who later attended ivy league schools.
Even though every single day was an academic struggle for me, I connected mainly with my Modern Literature and English classes.  I loved learning about symbolism and discovering the deeper meaning of modern and classical works.

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In 2012 I developed an after school program in dance at the University of Hartford Magnet School (I lovingly refer to the school as "The Mag") called Discovering Dance.  The program is designed to offer first and second graders a first experience in creative movement.
The use of my voice provides the students with vocal cueing and phrasing that demonstrates various movement qualities and dance concepts (levels, tempo, etc.).
Over the years I have incorporated reading, writing, singing and drawing into my lesson plans in order to support the mission and curriculum of the school, which is based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
The time I spend reading to my students is used to focus the group and to ignite ideas about movement qualities as well as inform the children about dance/dancers and art/artists.

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I participate in Read Across America Day at the Magnet School.  I visit a few of the classrooms that my  Discovering Dance students are in.  I choose not to read books about dance to the class, I read books that explore concepts of embracing individuality and diversity.
(We always end up dancing anyway!)

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If I was stranded on an island I know that I would need and want to keep my brain active to sustain my sense of hope and creativity and a connection to humanity.  I would NEED the following books:

Gardner's Art Through the Ages : A Concise History

by Helen Gardner and Fred S. Kleiner

The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou

by Maya Angelou

The Goldfinch

by Donna Tartt