As an educator, we are often asked to reflect on teaching experiences. I took a class similar to this at Wartburg that was for Young Adult Literature. Since I ultimately wanted to teach younger children, I didn't necessarily get a strong sense of good literature for elementary aged kids. Through my research for books to comment on for my blog, I have reconnected with picture books. I like this class in that I feel little pressure about upcoming deadlines--doing the blog seems more cathartic than work. Often we read good children's books and have no one to talk about them with--lets face it, teachers are busy and don't spend all of our time talking about school stuff. Putting the comments in a blog format makes it feel more authentic--lessons we strive for our students in the classroom. As Jen has mentioned, there is a much larger audience now besides just her and we are a part of an educational community.

I have enjoyed being reconnected with good picture books, whether from my childhood or teaching years. I don't know why more people don't read them--they are very entertaining and often have a deeper meaning intended for older readers. Going to the library and looking more closely at illustrations and the text has been fun. I feel like I know more about what makes a picture book good now. I liked learning more about how books and illustrations are created--I now look for hidden gems in every book I read. I guess I always assumed that the author and illustrator worked more together to create a seamless merging of text and picture. As a reader, I have tended to focus on the text and now have rethought that position. As the class continues, I look forward to reading more books for my A/P/I Study--I have read a lot of James Howe's best books--starting with a childhood fav Bunnicula!