We use the word ‘love’ to mean care deeply about, as in people, or like a lot, as in food, objects and activities. Questions such as “Who do you love?” and “What do you love?” will elicit very different responses and we generally have little difficulty in distinguishing between the intensity of the feelings. Mostly the whos are more important to us than the whats, and it is easy to distinguish between the likes and the loves, though they can sit along a continuum.
For me, housework sits at the opposite end of the continuum from reading and writing. You won’t find me writing any posts about housework. But you will find lots of posts about reading and writing, especially encouraging a love of reading and writing in children. I find sharing a love of reading and writing to be almost equal in enjoyment as reading and writing for myself. To see children light up with enthusiasm for reading and writing is sheer joy.
I have often said that one of the greatest gifts a parent can give a child is a love of reading. A love of reading and writing, and indeed for all learning, is the best gift a teacher can give.
It is often said that a love of reading is caught, not taught. The same goes for writing. It is important for teachers to ensure that there is time every day to read aloud to children, to inspire them and excite their imaginations with wonderful literature and to provide them with time for expressing their own thoughts and imaginative ideas through writing and any other of the expressive arts.
I have written many blog posts, both here and for readilearn, with suggestions for making time for literature and literacy, but it was the prompt set by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch that kept me thinking that way this week.
You see, Charli challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about valentines. It can be Valentine’s Day, the exchange, love for another, romance, or friendship. Have a heart and go where the prompt leads!
But, as well as being Valentine’s Day, 14 February is also Library Lovers’ Day and International Book Giving Day.
Why wouldn’t I write about one of my loves — reading and writing? I hope you enjoy it.
Just for the love of it
The teacher closed the book, but the children were abuzz.
“Keep going,” they urged.
“Will they be alright?”
“What will happen?”
The teacher looked at the clock. The minutes had passed like seconds. Was there time?
“Pleeeease!”
The teacher opened the book.
“Yay!” cheered the children, then hushed as the words flowed.
As the story unfolded, their eyes lit up and imaginations sparked. They discussed the story’s intricacies and contemplated outcomes as they journeyed with the author through good and fearsome times. Finally, just as the dragon was about to swoop, the teacher stopped. “Now write! What happens next?”
Here are links to just five of the posts I’ve written about reading and writing:
A sprinkle of this, a pinch of that, and Poof! It’s reading — magic!
Wrapping up a year of books — the gift of reading
Reading is all it’s cracked up to be: 10 tips for an early childhood classroom!
And two more about libraries:
Libraries: A wondrous universe to explore — a guest post by Dimity Powell
Libraries, books and reading = infinite worlds to explore
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
Norah Colvin 
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