I am just going to put this out there…as you learn to teach reading, you transform into an extraordinary human being. There are many “things” we can do that others can not. I polled the Primary Teaching Group and the Elementary Literacy and Reading Teacher Group to see what we could come up with. I will admit…some of these made me laugh harder than I thought I could! So enjoy this humorous but true, “16 Signs You Are a Reading Teacher”
1. You can look at any book (from a brochure, to the back of a cereal box) and almost instantly know what grade or lexile level it is. -Rachel P.
2. You can read absolutely anything upside down. -Cathye P.
3. You can recite parts, or all, of books from memory. -Karla O.
As you listen to a reader, you don’t even need to see the text due to the numer times read before. -Michelle E.
4. Phonetic writing appears to be another language to the untrained eye, but YOU can read it like a pro! -Jennie T.
You can read any invented spelling! -Erin P.
5. You correct everyone’s grammar mistakes on Facebook. Or, you may like a meme but if it is spelled wrong, or it is grammatically incorrect you don’t bother pinning it! -Regina M.
6. When you give them the magnetic letters for “this” and they write “s-h-i-t.” -Lisa H.
7. You can’t get the silly phonics songs you sing all day out of your head when you get home at night! -Jennie T.
8. You’re sorting books for your library and can’t help but teach your engineer husband the difference between fiction and realistic fiction. -Amanda M.
9. When you want to throw the million dollar new reading curriculum because there are SO many phonics errors in there!! :/ -Crystal J.
10. You can listen to a child decode an easy reader, over-and-over, without wanting to pull your hair out. -Kristen W. from Easy Teaching Tools
11. You go to Dollar Tree to “browse”. As you are browsing, you pick up index cards, timers, blocks, dry erase boards, markers, items to be used as pointers for read the room, and the containers to store your new items. When you finally walk out, you load up the trunk with $50 of items to go into your reading block. -Mariposa G.
14. You know you’re a reading teacher when you understand “schwa!” -Beth P.
16. When you catch yourself watching people who are reading to see if their lips are moving. This was a huge pet peeve of a reading specialist I worked with one year 😉 And after a year of working in the same small room (closet, really lol) with our small groups, I could not shake this. -Alisa from First Grade Fun Times
