The 74 Million – Beth Jarzabek
“At the start of each school year, looking out at the fresh faces of my new students, I give my inaugural speech. I tell them about myself — my family, my Starbucks habit and my love of books. I share my expectations for the class and tell them about activities that they can look forward to throughout the year. For the most part, they remain silent, still stuck in their summer slumber or timid in front of this brand-new (and clearly caffeinated) teacher. While most of my jokes fall flat and my probing questions remain unanswered, two revelations are guaranteed to elicit a reaction: my hatred of the Accelerated Reader test, and the fact that in my classroom, students are free to read whatever books they choose.” (more)