How we started

Some students in my Accelerated English II class asked me to start a book club in December of 2007. I had envisioned a lot of things for my career up to that point, but I had never thought of a book club. Who would? In an age where students are attached to their iphones, texting, emailing, calling and myspacing have long-since trumped a desire to read. So, when my students were adamant about starting this club, I readily agreed. If it can be done, I thought, I want to be the one to do it. The rest is history.

About the name, why Moo Moo? It happened like this: I showed the students a picture of me in a old muumuu gown, and they couldn't believe that their 25 year old teacher would wear something so ancient and ugly. The next day, I wore one to class and taught in it. They loved it. That day they decided to wear muumuus on Fridays and to call our Accelerated English II 4th block class the Moo Moo Club and have T-shirts made. However, none of us knew that moo moo, as in the dresses, was actually spelled muumuu. We sounded it out, tried to google the term, and when we couldn't find a definitive answer, we just had T-shirts made with the flagrant misspelling proudly flaunted in magenta.

Nearly one year later, the club has grown to over 100 members. I can't write enough to portray how wonderful and active this club is and has been since it started. We have met a few authors, taken a few trips, read a lot of books, and had way too much fun. This has definitely been the most fulfilling facet of my professional career, and I have dreams to take this club much bigger, state-wide to start. We'll get there someday, but for now, I love who we are and how we got here.