An Argument for Staying Up Late to Read

Sure you're exhausted and you feel zombie-like the next day as you trip over your feet and shove your hair into a ponytail. So maybe you close your eyes for five minutes during your plan time and feel the need to set a timer so you're not awoken by the bell and 25 kids tumbling into your class. There is the possibility you will lose all ability to function by the time 3:00 rolls around and you remember that you have that meeting today after school and a dentist appointment after that.  Your dental hygienist won't mind if you take a quick nap while she cleans your teeth--right?  Because you're going to need that power nap when you arrive home to your beautiful and energetic three year old who wants to play and cuddle and play some more.  And by the time she goes to sleep, you'll cram in a few things that need grading, just in time to start a new book.  But you promise to go to bed on time (or at least close to it) because you're pretty sure you'll end up falling asleep anyway.

But here's the good part: You stayed up late to finish your book and no one interrupted you.  You were able to pace back and forth when you needed to do so and you could snack on those twizzlers you had stashed away for stress eating situations.


You found yourself short of breath several times and anxious for the characters you're now considering your friends.  And finally you found out what happened, how your friends survived (hopefully), and if they'll be okay.  Even though you crawled into bed at 3:00am in an attempt to catch 2 hours of sleep, you crawled into bed happy and content.  Your heart felt warm and glowing, like the words you read seeped from the pages of the book and into your veins.  Coursing through your, they filled you with nutrients you never knew you needed and when they finally reached your heart, it filled with warmth.

So enjoy your late night reading, but maybe don't do it every night.

Book Review: Igniting a Passion for Reading

Igniting a Passion for Reading: Successful Strategies for Building Lifetime Readers

Steven L. Layne

Scholastic, 2009

Source: purchased

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Steven L. Layne’s passion for teaching reading jumps from the page and into your lap.  You have to decide what to do with it from there.  In Igniting a Passion for Reading, Layne lays out specific strategies, activities and procedures he believes have helped make his students into lifetime readers.  What he suggests--no, insists upon--should not be surprising if you’ve been teaching reading for any small amount of time.  Unfortunately, with schools hyper focused on test scores and STEM initiatives, reading for the sake of reading has been pushed to the side.  The focus in this book is not teaching skill, but teaching will.

As a middle school teacher, I have parents start out the year by telling (with their child right there) that “Johnny” or “Mandy”  isn’t a reader, so good luck. Usually these are my kids who struggle. It’s not because they can’t read, but because they don’t want to and why should they if they can still get by with good grades? I’ve been looking for ways to pull them in--convince them it’s worth it.  Steven Layne has given me ways--so many ways!

My one major problem with this is that I want to do everything he suggests. In a forty-eight minute period I’m already strapped for time. I’m going to try and incorporate the read aloud two times a week and the Buzz About Books once a week, and try to get in a book chat now and then, but Can I fit it in?  Truly fit it in?  We’ll see.  The best part about this is that Layne not only gives you step by step instruction on how you can implement these strategies, but examples and masters to use in your classroom.  It’s also really easy to read, meaning it’s a great summer professional development read! I read a chapter here, and a chapter there over the first two weeks of break, taking notes as I went along and was still able to read my fiction books as well.    

I definitely recommend Igniting a Passion for Reading by Steven L. Layne to anyone who teaches--whether you’re a reading teacher or a social studies teacher.  If you are a teacher of reading or literature, there are so many great ideas you can incorporate into your classroom--some of them don’t even take up classroom time!  Igniting a Passion for Reading is my new go to recommendation for new teachers!

If you like this book, then make sure you also check out The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller. She has a second book out as well, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet.

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Top Ten...Reasons to Stay Up Late and Read

As a night owl, I find myself staying up late to read.  And then I find myself struggling to crawl out from under the covers when the alarm rings.  But I have my reasons.  And here they are!

1. I’m wide awake!

Usually by the time we get our toddler to bed, I’m winding down.  Then I start picking up, grading, doing laundry, getting things together for the next day and I’m way wide awake.  Like, I’ll never go to sleep again awake.  So reading a book helps me wind down...sometimes.  Sometimes it just revs me up more!  (See #5)

2. Being a Night Owl is a Sign of Intelligence
   Apparently there have been studies that show a correlation between being a night owl and intelligence.  Check out this article that covers a couple of those studies.  I’m not sure if I completely agree with this since I know a lot of people who stay up super late and they don’t exactly show a lot of intelligence.  I also know a few very intelligent people who follow the idea of “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”  
3. It’s a great time to get things done online.
   When my daughter is awake, there is very little time to work online.  We try to keep her off the computer and tablet and we’ve done a great job with that so far.  We probably give her too much TV time, but we’ve managed to keep that at a minimum too.  However, if she sees us on the computer, tablet, or phone, she wants on it too.  
4. There are no appointments, work, errands waiting for me.
   Guess what!  I don’t have to keep looking at the clock every 2 sentences to make sure time hasn’t suddenly sped forward and left me running late for life.  It’s night.  I’m not going anywhere.  Sure I need to get to bed eventually, but within the next 30 minutes?  Nope!  No count down for me!
5. Because sometimes there is nothing but finishing that book. Sometimes it just has to happen.  As. Soon. As. Possible.
6. If your kids sleep through the night, then this is your time!
   My daughter has been sleeping through the night for about a year now.  We have our moments now and then, but for the most part, I know that when she’s down, she’s down.  Now it’s our time.   **If your kids don't sleep through the night, I'm really sorry. I've been there. One day it will happen.
7. There’s something about cuddling into your reading spot with night all around you except for your little circle of light.
   I don’t know what it is, but you can just curl into your little spot with your book.  There is darkness all around and just the glow around you.  It’s a bit romantic.  It’s cozy.  
8. Your dreams will be full of your books.
   Okay, so this doesn’t often happen, but it does sometimes.  I’ll wake up in the morning and have this odd memory about my book, about the characters and I have to piece together what I read and what I dreamt at first.  I love this though.  I love when ideas and characters permeate my mind this way.  
9. I don’t have to worry about getting anything else done.  
   This kind of matches up with #4, but I’m thinking more about it being the end of the night.  I’ve finished it all (or in reality everything I was capable of finishing) and now it’s time to think about myself a little.  Reading at night is my reward for completing the day successfully-ish.  OR it’s my comfort at the end of the day when it’s all done and I just need a chance to breathe.
10. No one else is awake (usually). I love my little family, I do.  I also love my alone time.  I am a loner.  I always have been.  In high school and college I would come home some days and just wish that I could have a full day where I didn't have to talk to anyone else, where I could just be alone.  I still have that desire some days, but not as much because I try to take my alone time every night after everyone else in bed.  That’s my alone time.

Are you a Night Owl, or and Early Riser? When do you manage to get your reading in?