"THIS I BELIEVE"
I believe in books. I believe that books can take you to places where you can fulfill your wildest dreams. I believe in knowing your favorite characters better than your best friends. I believe that one book can impact a life in ways one can’t imagine. I believe in reading. I believe in reading to find joy, reading to escape into a new world, and reading to learn. I believe that reading not only helps students learn, but helps students thrive.
Ever since I was a kid, I lived for reading. It was a tradition for my father to read my older sister and I a goodnight story: which could include anything from Goodnight Moon to the classic Grimm Brother Fairy Tales. Even at a young age, I could see the importance of reading. As the years passed, my older sister began to read more adventurous books, such as the ever-impressive chapter books. I was jealous of her reading ability; at the time I was mainly limited to picture books. Though my sister claims this was her doing, it was then that I determinedly sat down and taught myself how to read so I too could read chapter books like my sister. Within a few months I could read the same books as my seven-year-old sister, an act that caused me to skip kindergarten after only a month of school.
Though I was only five at the time, I already had a general idea of the importance of reading. I knew that because I could read, I was moved up into first grade, meaning that reading helped you learn and become smarter. I knew that reading gave people happiness; I mean, my dad didn’t keep reading us stories at night because he wanted to. My sister and I craved those stories more than anything, and usually threw fits if we didn’t have our nightly dose of story time. But that was all reading was to be at the time: for learning and for fun. I certainly did not know how books could shape a person’s life. It wasn’t until I was introduced to a certain boy wizard that I learned what reading could truly do.
I was seven years old when I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I fell instantly in love with the series. I felt as if I had known Harry, Ron, and Hermione for years, and I loved being able to go on adventures with them. I would bring the books to school and secretly read them under my desk during math. At home, I had the Harry Potter Lego set, the Harry Potter action figures, a stuffed Hedwig owl, and any other memorabilia a person could have. Harry Potter slowly became my favorite topic of conversation; my sister and I talked about it constantly to the point where our parents couldn’t stand hearing the words ‘wizard’ or ‘magic’. My obsession with the books spilled into other parts of my life as well; from speaking in British accents to creating passwords to enter and exit my bedroom.
It was because of this phenomenal series that I learned the most important thing that reading can do: it can help you escape into another world. For some, reading is the ultimate therapy; when a person is reading a book that they can truly connect to, it is as if the rest of the world melts away. Reading can serve as an escape for many teenagers and adults alike who wish to leave their worries and stress behind for an hour or two and watch as a story unfolds before their eyes. I also learned that in books, anything is possible. As a young girl I strongly identified with the always smart and always brave Hermione Granger, and was thrilled to read the books and watch as the stereotypical nerd helped the Chosen One defeat the darkest wizard of all time. These books gave me the hope that anything was possible.
Today, I still love books. I still get yelled at for reading in class, I still read books to learn, I still read books for pleasure, and I still read my favorite book series, Harry Potter, whenever I need to leave the Muggle world behind. Without books, I honestly do not know where I would be in my life. If I hadn’t have understood the importance of reading at such a young age, I would not have done so well in school. If J.K. Rowling had not written the Harry Potter series, I doubt that I would have such a passion for reading and books. It is because of my fervor for reading and books that I am becoming an elementary school teacher. I hope to teach my students that reading is necessary to learn, but can be enjoyable at the same time. I hope that reading will have the same positive impact on them as it did on me, and I hope that they come to appreciate books as much as I have; because I believe that books can change lives in ways one can’t imagine, and I believe in reading.
I believe in books. I believe that books can take you to places where you can fulfill your wildest dreams. I believe in knowing your favorite characters better than your best friends. I believe that one book can impact a life in ways one can’t imagine. I believe in reading. I believe in reading to find joy, reading to escape into a new world, and reading to learn. I believe that reading not only helps students learn, but helps students thrive.
Ever since I was a kid, I lived for reading. It was a tradition for my father to read my older sister and I a goodnight story: which could include anything from Goodnight Moon to the classic Grimm Brother Fairy Tales. Even at a young age, I could see the importance of reading. As the years passed, my older sister began to read more adventurous books, such as the ever-impressive chapter books. I was jealous of her reading ability; at the time I was mainly limited to picture books. Though my sister claims this was her doing, it was then that I determinedly sat down and taught myself how to read so I too could read chapter books like my sister. Within a few months I could read the same books as my seven-year-old sister, an act that caused me to skip kindergarten after only a month of school.
Though I was only five at the time, I already had a general idea of the importance of reading. I knew that because I could read, I was moved up into first grade, meaning that reading helped you learn and become smarter. I knew that reading gave people happiness; I mean, my dad didn’t keep reading us stories at night because he wanted to. My sister and I craved those stories more than anything, and usually threw fits if we didn’t have our nightly dose of story time. But that was all reading was to be at the time: for learning and for fun. I certainly did not know how books could shape a person’s life. It wasn’t until I was introduced to a certain boy wizard that I learned what reading could truly do.
I was seven years old when I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, and I fell instantly in love with the series. I felt as if I had known Harry, Ron, and Hermione for years, and I loved being able to go on adventures with them. I would bring the books to school and secretly read them under my desk during math. At home, I had the Harry Potter Lego set, the Harry Potter action figures, a stuffed Hedwig owl, and any other memorabilia a person could have. Harry Potter slowly became my favorite topic of conversation; my sister and I talked about it constantly to the point where our parents couldn’t stand hearing the words ‘wizard’ or ‘magic’. My obsession with the books spilled into other parts of my life as well; from speaking in British accents to creating passwords to enter and exit my bedroom.
It was because of this phenomenal series that I learned the most important thing that reading can do: it can help you escape into another world. For some, reading is the ultimate therapy; when a person is reading a book that they can truly connect to, it is as if the rest of the world melts away. Reading can serve as an escape for many teenagers and adults alike who wish to leave their worries and stress behind for an hour or two and watch as a story unfolds before their eyes. I also learned that in books, anything is possible. As a young girl I strongly identified with the always smart and always brave Hermione Granger, and was thrilled to read the books and watch as the stereotypical nerd helped the Chosen One defeat the darkest wizard of all time. These books gave me the hope that anything was possible.
Today, I still love books. I still get yelled at for reading in class, I still read books to learn, I still read books for pleasure, and I still read my favorite book series, Harry Potter, whenever I need to leave the Muggle world behind. Without books, I honestly do not know where I would be in my life. If I hadn’t have understood the importance of reading at such a young age, I would not have done so well in school. If J.K. Rowling had not written the Harry Potter series, I doubt that I would have such a passion for reading and books. It is because of my fervor for reading and books that I am becoming an elementary school teacher. I hope to teach my students that reading is necessary to learn, but can be enjoyable at the same time. I hope that reading will have the same positive impact on them as it did on me, and I hope that they come to appreciate books as much as I have; because I believe that books can change lives in ways one can’t imagine, and I believe in reading.