Affective Dimensions of Reading

I see myself as an average reader. I definitely enjoy reading, but am not someone who is reading all of the time. Reading has always came fairly easy to me, however, I would not say I am a great reader because I still have to take a lot of extra time to understand difficult material. I also make a lot of mistakes when reading out loud. I like to read any kind of literature, especially books written by John Grisham. I really enjoy sports books with true stories and great morals in them; I love to be motivated to become a better person. I think that I have mostly really enjoyed reading in a couple of my literature classes, as well as in one of my physical education classes. We were assigned a couple books in each that I was hooked on immediately. I definitely enjoyed reading these books because it helped me to focus on areas in my life that I could work on. I have disliked reading a little bit in my Shakespeare and British Literary History classes. They are wonderful classes, but it is very difficult material to read; it takes me an awful long time to get through the texts required each day in class.
As a child, I think the main person that influenced me to read was my mom. She always had materials available and was willing to read to us at any time. I also read at church, and of course at school. I quickly developed a love for school when I was in elementary, and I still really enjoy it. I don't think there are any social networks that discouraged me from reading, I had a very positive environment while growing up.
 I think one of the main things I can do to foster a climate in class where my students are interested in reading texts about my discipline would be to find interesting books that are applicable to their age and culture. If students can relate to a text, they are more likely to read it. I think that there is all kinds of material out there, you just have to look for it. As a teacher, the options are endless when it comes to the availability of things online, in magazines, newspapers, etc.
 Lastly, the thing that I want to concentrate on more than anything to build up my students' self-perceptions of themselves as readers is to always focus on the positives. Even if they are readers that are struggling, I can find something positive that they are doing and that will encourage them to read even more. I can make sure I know the comforts and discomforts of each student, and not put them on the spot to read out loud if they are uncomfortable with it. Knowing your students as a teacher is they key to building confidence, and being kind and supportive in every situation is what I hope I can always do. 

Connecting School With Home Experiences

As long as I can remember, I have been involved in every type of physical activity available to my family and I. My parents taught me at a young age the importance of staying physically fit and being constantly engaged in good activities. I played basketball, volleyball, and other games outside with my brother and sisters, and learned the basics of them all. Because of my activity while young, I have grown to love being active. I love the challenge of staying physically and mentally healthy, and try to learn new things throughout my education and work experiences that will benefit both me and the people around me. I have learned so many valuable life lessons at home that I know will forever benefit me in my teaching career and life in general.
I hope to be a teacher and coach that can lead by example. I think if students see their teacher as a happy individual who practices the things that are taught in a health class, they will much more likely see the benefits of it and strive to do so themselves.
One of the challenges that I faced while at home was being injured and my muscles atrophying. Because of this experience, I had to start at the very bottom of the fitness level and work my way back up to a competing stage. I think as a result of this experience, I can be a lot more empathetic to those people who are struggling with their physical fitness and striving to become better. It is a really hard feat to accomplish when you are very far from your goals; I hope I can be a teacher and coach who is sympathetic to all in their unique situations.