About Me
Monica Patterson
When I was a kid, I loved to read. My brother and I would look forward to going to the library with my mom and check out as many books as we could carry. We read together at home and at night before bed. Even at a young age, my favorite stories had to do with art.
Unfortunately, like most upper elementary and middle school students, my interest in reading began to decline as I got older. Books got longer, reading became an individual activity, and I preferred to be with friends.
My interest in reading was not sparked again until I began reading narratives. Wonderful, gripping art stories that fulfilled my interest in art and captivated my attention convinced me this would be a great way to encourage life long reading behaviors in students as well. It all began with reading The Masterpiece (Zola, 1886). I found myself identifying with the main character and learning about the Impressionist movement and the experience of exhibiting work at the Paris Salon along the way. As an art student, I had learned about these before, but this was different. By reading this story, I became a part of it, it was almost as if I had lived the events myself. I knew I had to share this magic.
I took the opportunity as a graduate student in Art Education at the University of Florida to research this interest and create The Read Studio. My goal is to share these stories with art educators in a way that they can use them in their classrooms to inspire students to learn about the wonderful subject of art through reading even after they have left the classroom.
Unfortunately, like most upper elementary and middle school students, my interest in reading began to decline as I got older. Books got longer, reading became an individual activity, and I preferred to be with friends.
My interest in reading was not sparked again until I began reading narratives. Wonderful, gripping art stories that fulfilled my interest in art and captivated my attention convinced me this would be a great way to encourage life long reading behaviors in students as well. It all began with reading The Masterpiece (Zola, 1886). I found myself identifying with the main character and learning about the Impressionist movement and the experience of exhibiting work at the Paris Salon along the way. As an art student, I had learned about these before, but this was different. By reading this story, I became a part of it, it was almost as if I had lived the events myself. I knew I had to share this magic.
I took the opportunity as a graduate student in Art Education at the University of Florida to research this interest and create The Read Studio. My goal is to share these stories with art educators in a way that they can use them in their classrooms to inspire students to learn about the wonderful subject of art through reading even after they have left the classroom.
I would love to hear from you! With your comments and suggestions, I hope The Read Studio will continue to grow. Please email me with book recommendations or classroom activities you have found successful so that we can share them with our fellow art educators through The Read Studio. Thank you and happy reading!