The Reading Meeting

Sustained silent reading (SSR) was my favorite part of the day in fourth grade. My best friend Marley and I always picked out matching books so neither of us was missing out on the other’s good picks. When we finished reading the Harry Potter series (simultaneously, of course), we decided to revert back to our even younger years and reread the Magic Treehouse series. It was on our first day of going back to the basics that Marley had her first individual reading meeting with Mrs. McGaffin.

Mrs. McGaffin’s reading meetings were a way for her to make sure everyone was reading a book that was appropriate for their skill level. About once every two months, we were asked to summarize our book and read a passage out loud to her. When Marley finished her meeting, she assured me I have nothing to worry about. “ She told me Dawn of the Dinosaurs is too easy for us,” she said. The next day, when I had my meeting with Mrs. McGaffin, she seemed to forget just how gifted I was. She said,  “I love this book! Keep up the good work, Alexis!”

I should’ve been elated because Magic Treehouse was a welcome no-brainer after struggling through two years of Harry Potter. However, I was devastated. Marley and I had read the same books throughout elementary school and had always been in the same high level reading groups. The fact that her summarization and read-aloud skills were better than mine really bothered me, regardless of the embarrassment I would feel when I finally told her the truth: I’m not a good reader.

At our next sleepover, I revealed my secret to Marley.  “Mrs. McGaffin thinks Magic Treehouse is a perfect fit for me,” I said. I remember feeling genuinely worried that she wouldn’t want to be my friend anymore because of it. Marley didn’t care at all. It wasn’t until my meeting with Mrs. McGaffin that I realized how much my sense of self-worth coincides with how smart other people think I am.