Hi!

My name is Patricia Vitarelli. I began teaching in 1994. I have worked as a kindergarten teacher (four years), a first grade teacher (three years), a part-time library teacher (one and a half years), and a reading intervention teacher (eight years). I became the Language Arts Consultant  at Hawley Elementary School in Newtown, CT in the fall of 2012 where I have had the privilege of working with both children and teachers in all areas of literacy.

Teaching is a calling; one which I heard from a young age. I feel it is an honor that I get to do this work for a living. To play a role in opening up the world of literacy to children brings me joy beyond measure. It is both rewarding and challenging. I love to research different approaches to teaching reading and writing, and I update my repertoire of teaching strategies constantly.  Through the years, I have learned that reading is a developmental process that evolves and grows with immersion in rich literature, meaningful conversation, and lots and lots of fun with language.

Through this blog, I hope to share my love of reading and provide support to parents, teachers, and children alike, as they grow as readers/teachers of readers themselves.