Over the years I have given up various things for Lent. Some years have been easy, and some have been hard (like when I gave up chocolate). This year for Lent I was considering giving up all reading that wasn't school-related.
Now for anyone who knows me, this is a radical idea. Reading at times has been the same to me as breathing, it has been a wonderful way to explore my world, learn about myself, and escape. My love of literature is why I chose the profession I did.
Giving up reading was going to serve a very practical purpose; I would need all of my time to focus on student teaching and couldn't spend hours reading the next book in my list (Ironically: one of the books I am reading for student teaching is part of a trilogy, and I loved the first installment). However, I quickly realized that my abstaining from reading was missing the point if I was doing it for practical rather than spiritual reasons (besides the rapidly expanding list of exceptions I was beginning to develop).
How does this all relate to teaching? I don't want to miss the point of this experience because I am so focused on the details, rules, and planning. This is a time for me to learn, and just like I need to moderate my time spent reading for pleasure, I need to learn to moderate between planning and reflecting, between the plan and teachable moments.
So, this Lent I am not going to give up reading just to give something up; and, hopefully, I will gain more than adding to the list of books I have read.
No comments:
Post a Comment