I bought this copy of ‘Read With Me: An Apprenticeship Approach to Reading’ by Liz Waterland in the Marjon’s bookshop in Plymouth during my initial teacher training. It still bears my maiden name inside the front cover. I have treasured the book since the late 1980s. The title was the inspiration behind my ‘Read with Julia’ website and YouTube channel.
The book documents Liz’s journey as a classroom teacher and her work to develop a strong community of readers. She begins from a place of dissatisfaction and disillusionment:
‘It was this knowledge of failure, this realisation that, however important teachers may feel books to be, most children will never enjoy reading enough to do it voluntarily, even as adults, that forced me to reassess all that I had ever believed about teaching reading.’
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It’s a fascinating and salutary account, whilst also being human and fallible.
(To be continued…)
Read with Julia 