I've been thinking a lot lately about something author, Mem Fox, said in her book, Reading Magic (If you haven't read it, EVERYONE needs to). She says that, if everyone whose live touches a child read three books a day with them, we would wipe out illiteracy in a generation and a half. There's a lot in those simple words.
Certainly, just the volume of exposure of reading is important. But it goes deeper. Dr. Michael Pressley, a reading researcher, says if we do not give children mostly positive experiences with books, they will not choose to be readers. Not only must be get in the "quota", but the experiences must be rich and rewarding. How do we do that? By making sure that:
1) we turn off distractions and give 100% of ourselves to our children when we read with them. After all, we are the commercial for reading.
2) we read, at least some of the time, things they want to read.
What about those children that don't have someone to read with them at home? Those children are the ones that don't benefit from the literacy-rich environment many of you reading promote. Someone - a tutor, a neighbor, a teacher, a librarian - has to make sure that a team of supporters works with that child to get the minimum of 3 a day in. If you have a lot of players on the team, and you count engaging read alouds, it's possible.
Why all this focus on reading? Without reading in this information-rich society, we fall short. We cannot comprehend the complexities the modern world throws at us and make thoughtful decisions. An inspirational fellow I met several years ago in Walker Co., AL (learning to read at the age of 73) said to me, "When I was coming up, you could get by. I certainly did and ended up running a $100,000 a year trucking company with a lot of help. Kids today can't do that. You let me talk to any of them and I'll tell them how important reading is."
I'd like to challenge those of you following and visiting this post to do two things: first, read regularly with your own child. Make it a priority this year and beyond. Secondly, find a child you can read to, maybe not every single day but frequently and build a team of supporters around that child. It can be done! Feel free to post updates on your "experiment" here.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sharing A Few Good Books
Whether your children are 5 or 15, summer is a great time to read. Less structure and "required" reading from school can leave time to investigate whatever it is that your child is interested in.
Try these:
Can You See What I See? Nature - Read and Seek Book (for early readers)
The Last Golddiggers by Harry Horse (a funny, down under adventure)
The Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, by Bill Harley (flying on a bicycle?)
Firefly Mountain by Patricia Thomas (I love the pictures; it reminds me of hunting fireflies in North Carolina when I was a child)
Rocket Man by Ruth Ashby - a biography about a key player in the space race.
The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John H. Ritter (for upper elementary and middle school kids). I'm in the middle of this one myself and the story is terrific. Set in the wild west (with an unlikely subject matter of baseball - did you know they played baseball in the wild west?)
Gabriel's Horses by Alison Hart (the first in a Civil War trilogy for middle grade kids.
Pepperland by Mark Delaney - a tragic story with a soul that helps understand how to deal with grief and move on.
One for parents of young children,
Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Drs. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta M. Golinkoff
and just for fun, Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild! by Mem Fox (ever feel that way?) This book is one of Mem's lesser known books but still delicious!
A NEW ADDITION TO THE POST: I have a new friend who is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English and mom of a son with LD (7th grade). She shared a ton of titles with me and I wanted to pass along a few for you (from lower to higher levels of readability):
King of Shadows by Susan Cooper (anything Susan writes is good)
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker (deals with steroids);
Tangerine by Edward Bloor (harder, and my son says that some kids didn't like it, but we both loved it)
The Wednesday Wars, Gary D. Schmidt (harder, absolutely fantastic)
For even more ideas, check out the summer reading lists below:
The International Reading Association's Reader's Choice Award books (chosen by kids!):http://www.reading.org/General/Default.aspx?page=/resources/tools/choices.html&mode=redirect
The Reading Tub's great book reviews - age specific (the reviews have the voices of the authentic readers who wrote them)
Til next week, happy reading! Stop by my website to read about how to help your children with their reading without creating an academic hothouse environment at home: http://www.readingisforeveryone.org/articles.html (scroll down to the Reading Tub to access this article).
Try these:
Can You See What I See? Nature - Read and Seek Book (for early readers)
The Last Golddiggers by Harry Horse (a funny, down under adventure)
The Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, by Bill Harley (flying on a bicycle?)
Firefly Mountain by Patricia Thomas (I love the pictures; it reminds me of hunting fireflies in North Carolina when I was a child)
Rocket Man by Ruth Ashby - a biography about a key player in the space race.
The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John H. Ritter (for upper elementary and middle school kids). I'm in the middle of this one myself and the story is terrific. Set in the wild west (with an unlikely subject matter of baseball - did you know they played baseball in the wild west?)
Gabriel's Horses by Alison Hart (the first in a Civil War trilogy for middle grade kids.
Pepperland by Mark Delaney - a tragic story with a soul that helps understand how to deal with grief and move on.
One for parents of young children,
Einstein Never Used Flash Cards by Drs. Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta M. Golinkoff
and just for fun, Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild! by Mem Fox (ever feel that way?) This book is one of Mem's lesser known books but still delicious!
A NEW ADDITION TO THE POST: I have a new friend who is a member of the National Council of Teachers of English and mom of a son with LD (7th grade). She shared a ton of titles with me and I wanted to pass along a few for you (from lower to higher levels of readability):
King of Shadows by Susan Cooper (anything Susan writes is good)
Gym Candy by Carl Deuker (deals with steroids);
Tangerine by Edward Bloor (harder, and my son says that some kids didn't like it, but we both loved it)
The Wednesday Wars, Gary D. Schmidt (harder, absolutely fantastic)
For even more ideas, check out the summer reading lists below:
The International Reading Association's Reader's Choice Award books (chosen by kids!):http://www.reading.org/General/Default.aspx?page=/resources/tools/choices.html&mode=redirect
The Reading Tub's great book reviews - age specific (the reviews have the voices of the authentic readers who wrote them)
Til next week, happy reading! Stop by my website to read about how to help your children with their reading without creating an academic hothouse environment at home: http://www.readingisforeveryone.org/articles.html (scroll down to the Reading Tub to access this article).
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Check Out Activities At Your Local Public Library
Yesterday I was in the tiny town of New Hope, AL and was privileged to see about 85 upper elementary school kids and their parents coming to the library! It was great! They were there as part of the summer reading program and they had dogs at the library!
If you haven't visited a library with your kids recently, you are in for a treat. There are still lots of wonderful books (I'll list a few in a minute) but there are also TONS of activities, morning, noon and night. This year's summer reading theme is "Be Creative @ Your Library". If you are looking for ideas on engaging your children in reading this summer, the librarians are also a great source.
While at the library, let your children see you checking out a book as well. Your example is so strong, even though you might not realize it. You send one of two messages: reading is important and will be a regular part of our lives OR it's not really that important anyway. Which do you want to send?
If your child isn't too excited (YET) about reading, find videos or CDs at the library for them to listen to. Look for themes or corresponding books to read before or after. Talk about the differences between what you saw in the movie and what was in the book. If you read the book first, ask your child to "make a movie in their heads". Teachers call that visualization and it's an important tool for understanding what you read. Try this:
1) Have your child close their eyes while you read a particularly descriptive section or paragraph.
2) Ask them to think about what the room or the scene might look like. What do they smell, hear, think, wonder?
3) If they have trouble with this, do it together. Think out loud and describe beyond the author's words. You'll find that your image and that of your child might be different. That's because each person has unique experiences and "background knowledge" that he or she brings to the "reading table". That colors what we get out of the text.
Keep practicing this. It will engage your child in the reading experience. They can even draw what the words tell them as they listen.
Now, the list I promised - great reads from the public library -- but instead of listing titles, I'm giving you links to my library's suggested reads and those across the country. Enjoy!
http://hpl.lib.al.us/read/ (pick a few for yourself at the top and then scroll down to see the children's books)
http://www.plcmc.org/Bookhive/ - from my home state of North Carolina
http://kids.nypl.org/ - from the New York Public Library
http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/ - LA Public Library
http://www.atyourlibrary.org/familylife - ideas for incorporating reading into family life from the American Library Association.
Until next time, happy reading!
If you haven't visited a library with your kids recently, you are in for a treat. There are still lots of wonderful books (I'll list a few in a minute) but there are also TONS of activities, morning, noon and night. This year's summer reading theme is "Be Creative @ Your Library". If you are looking for ideas on engaging your children in reading this summer, the librarians are also a great source.
While at the library, let your children see you checking out a book as well. Your example is so strong, even though you might not realize it. You send one of two messages: reading is important and will be a regular part of our lives OR it's not really that important anyway. Which do you want to send?
If your child isn't too excited (YET) about reading, find videos or CDs at the library for them to listen to. Look for themes or corresponding books to read before or after. Talk about the differences between what you saw in the movie and what was in the book. If you read the book first, ask your child to "make a movie in their heads". Teachers call that visualization and it's an important tool for understanding what you read. Try this:
1) Have your child close their eyes while you read a particularly descriptive section or paragraph.
2) Ask them to think about what the room or the scene might look like. What do they smell, hear, think, wonder?
3) If they have trouble with this, do it together. Think out loud and describe beyond the author's words. You'll find that your image and that of your child might be different. That's because each person has unique experiences and "background knowledge" that he or she brings to the "reading table". That colors what we get out of the text.
Keep practicing this. It will engage your child in the reading experience. They can even draw what the words tell them as they listen.
Now, the list I promised - great reads from the public library -- but instead of listing titles, I'm giving you links to my library's suggested reads and those across the country. Enjoy!
http://hpl.lib.al.us/read/ (pick a few for yourself at the top and then scroll down to see the children's books)
http://www.plcmc.org/Bookhive/ - from my home state of North Carolina
http://kids.nypl.org/ - from the New York Public Library
http://www.lapl.org/kidspath/ - LA Public Library
http://www.atyourlibrary.org/familylife - ideas for incorporating reading into family life from the American Library Association.
Until next time, happy reading!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Reading Beyond the Snuggle and Cuddle Stage
Those of us who have older sons or daughters know that there is a transition, a growth in relationship after our children reach the stage where they don't want to cuddle close and feel "too old" to have stories read to them. A part of me misses that with my 19 year old.
But for parents of kids 3rd grade through high school. here are surefire tips to keep reading on the front burner:
1) Know your child's passion and make sure there is plenty of stuff (books, magazines, internet, anything) to read on that subject available in or around your home.
2) Understand that if your child says "I don't like to read" it is a signal that the reading animal within them needs some feeding. It can also be an admission (hidden in a defense mechanism) that they recognize they aren't very good at it. If your child is a good reader, then it's a flag to find that book that will turn him/her on. Pay attention to those signals.
3) Be an example. If your child never sees you using reading "as a tool for life", then why should he want to spend any time doing it? It must not be very important.
4) Get them hooked! Do whatever it takes (manuals for Nintendo games, fake fingernail "how to"s, sports or speciality magazines, the Internet) to keep your kids reading regularly. They need a dose every day outside of what they must read for attempt to read for school.
Resources to help keep your older kids reading:
http://www.Teenread.org
http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/2722 - Improving Older Kids Speed and Comprehension
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/guide-for-dads-reading-aloud-to-older-kids.html - great ideas for Dads (yes, Dads) reading aloud with older offspring
http://www.abffe.com/bbw-booklist-detailed.htm - Forbid your teen to do something and he/she is likely to want to. Reading "the forbidden" can give you and your child a unique opportunity to talk about choices and lifestyles. It's better than limiting them.
http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/hilobib.html - lower reading level books with high interest for older kids (from the Monroe County (IN) Public Library).
http://www.stonearchbooks.com/ - I've reviewed several of this publisher's books and find them all very engaging for good and struggling older readers.
http://www.plcmc.org/bookhive/ - one of the best public library sites for young and older kids in Charlotte, NC
http://www.thereadingtub.com - great book reviews for kids, has areas devoted to middle and upper elementary. My article "Guided Reading At Home (Part II is best for parents of older readers) is available at http://www.thereadingtub.com/pdfs/our_guided_reading_set.pdf.
Don't forget to check out these great books for kids aged 10 and older:
The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John H. Ritter
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Jefficoe Road - by Melina Marchetta
Three Cups of Tea by Gre Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Last ideas:
Pack books when you go to the beach, when you are traveling to the mountains, there is always down time. Substitute some TV time (not your child's favorite shows) with reading. One friend of mine had her kids "earn" TV or computer time by reading, but they could read ANYTHING they wanted. They had to show not only how many pages or minutes were read but give evidence that they did read (what was it about, details, what did you think, what did you learn, etc.) Great dinner conversation, especially if the parents have to follow the same rule!
Enjoy reading and discussing reading with your older children. It is guaranteed to keep you close! If you missed my interview with Allen Cardoza of Answers4theFamily.com (LATalkRadio.com), you can listen to the podcast by the same name as this post at http://latalkradio.com/Allen.php. Just scroll down in the archive until you find the June 8th show.
But for parents of kids 3rd grade through high school. here are surefire tips to keep reading on the front burner:
1) Know your child's passion and make sure there is plenty of stuff (books, magazines, internet, anything) to read on that subject available in or around your home.
2) Understand that if your child says "I don't like to read" it is a signal that the reading animal within them needs some feeding. It can also be an admission (hidden in a defense mechanism) that they recognize they aren't very good at it. If your child is a good reader, then it's a flag to find that book that will turn him/her on. Pay attention to those signals.
3) Be an example. If your child never sees you using reading "as a tool for life", then why should he want to spend any time doing it? It must not be very important.
4) Get them hooked! Do whatever it takes (manuals for Nintendo games, fake fingernail "how to"s, sports or speciality magazines, the Internet) to keep your kids reading regularly. They need a dose every day outside of what they must read for attempt to read for school.
Resources to help keep your older kids reading:
http://www.Teenread.org
http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/showarticle/2722 - Improving Older Kids Speed and Comprehension
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/guide-for-dads-reading-aloud-to-older-kids.html - great ideas for Dads (yes, Dads) reading aloud with older offspring
http://www.abffe.com/bbw-booklist-detailed.htm - Forbid your teen to do something and he/she is likely to want to. Reading "the forbidden" can give you and your child a unique opportunity to talk about choices and lifestyles. It's better than limiting them.
http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/childrens/hilobib.html - lower reading level books with high interest for older kids (from the Monroe County (IN) Public Library).
http://www.stonearchbooks.com/ - I've reviewed several of this publisher's books and find them all very engaging for good and struggling older readers.
http://www.plcmc.org/bookhive/ - one of the best public library sites for young and older kids in Charlotte, NC
http://www.thereadingtub.com - great book reviews for kids, has areas devoted to middle and upper elementary. My article "Guided Reading At Home (Part II is best for parents of older readers) is available at http://www.thereadingtub.com/pdfs/our_guided_reading_set.pdf.
Don't forget to check out these great books for kids aged 10 and older:
The Desperado Who Stole Baseball by John H. Ritter
Deadline by Chris Crutcher
Jefficoe Road - by Melina Marchetta
Three Cups of Tea by Gre Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Last ideas:
Pack books when you go to the beach, when you are traveling to the mountains, there is always down time. Substitute some TV time (not your child's favorite shows) with reading. One friend of mine had her kids "earn" TV or computer time by reading, but they could read ANYTHING they wanted. They had to show not only how many pages or minutes were read but give evidence that they did read (what was it about, details, what did you think, what did you learn, etc.) Great dinner conversation, especially if the parents have to follow the same rule!
Enjoy reading and discussing reading with your older children. It is guaranteed to keep you close! If you missed my interview with Allen Cardoza of Answers4theFamily.com (LATalkRadio.com), you can listen to the podcast by the same name as this post at http://latalkradio.com/Allen.php. Just scroll down in the archive until you find the June 8th show.
Friday, May 29, 2009
NEWS FLASH!
This has been a big week so I'm doing two postings. This one relates to new resources for families and for educators and librarians.
1) Visit my new website: www.readingisforeveryone.org for the latest links to The Literacy Ambassador®'s many appearances on internet websites devoted to reading and writing and to parent involvement. You'll also find the latest in special event presentations as well as trainings for educators and for families, useful tips for anyone reading or writing with children and much, much more! Come visit us at the Home of the Literacy Ambassador®
2) My new e Book is out! You can learn about and purchase it at http://www.inspiringteachers.com/catalog/ebooks/index.html.
Powerful Picture Books: 180 Ideas for Promoting Content Learning gives teachers, librarians and/or families a fat list of picture books (one for each day of the school year or three for every day of the summer). With each book listing, you also get plenty of ideas on how to use the picture books to build background knowledge in an area new to students/children and to spark conversations about such important issues as the civil rights movement, music, art, biographies, etc. It has embedded links to Amazon so, if you don't have a book in your collection, you can easily order it. But the best part is that the e Book includes an interactive (bookmark) index. Click on subject area or age level and you immediately get a list of all the books that fit that criteria. Click on the book title in that index and it takes you right to the page that contains that book.
I worked hard to make this an easy-to-use tool. At least 34 of the 180 books relate to music and many more to the arts because I see that sometimes these subjects get "squeezed out" in busy school days. Feel free to share the link to this resource!
1) Visit my new website: www.readingisforeveryone.org for the latest links to The Literacy Ambassador®'s many appearances on internet websites devoted to reading and writing and to parent involvement. You'll also find the latest in special event presentations as well as trainings for educators and for families, useful tips for anyone reading or writing with children and much, much more! Come visit us at the Home of the Literacy Ambassador®
2) My new e Book is out! You can learn about and purchase it at http://www.inspiringteachers.com/catalog/ebooks/index.html.
Powerful Picture Books: 180 Ideas for Promoting Content Learning gives teachers, librarians and/or families a fat list of picture books (one for each day of the school year or three for every day of the summer). With each book listing, you also get plenty of ideas on how to use the picture books to build background knowledge in an area new to students/children and to spark conversations about such important issues as the civil rights movement, music, art, biographies, etc. It has embedded links to Amazon so, if you don't have a book in your collection, you can easily order it. But the best part is that the e Book includes an interactive (bookmark) index. Click on subject area or age level and you immediately get a list of all the books that fit that criteria. Click on the book title in that index and it takes you right to the page that contains that book.
I worked hard to make this an easy-to-use tool. At least 34 of the 180 books relate to music and many more to the arts because I see that sometimes these subjects get "squeezed out" in busy school days. Feel free to share the link to this resource!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
It's Summertime!
School is out! Time for families to transition to the summer schedule. In the midst of all this change, don't forget that reading with kids in the summer is as important, if not more so, than reading with them during the school year. Why?
In the school year, your children are gaining daily exposure to reading at school so they are practicing there as well as at home with you. When summer comes, kids can lose reading skills, if they don't keep practicing.
Never make it a chore! The secret to reading with your kids in the summer is to make it fun. Think outside the box! Read about your vacation destination or have your kids help research local "mini-vacation" spots right in your backyard. Check out new releases like John H. Ritter's The Desperado Who Saved Baseball for your 5-7th graders, Jon Scieszka's new picture books on trucks for the little ones, Judy Blundell's What I Saw and How I Lied (don't be put off by the title - it's a great opportunity to talk with your young adult about truth and consequences). ALA (the American Library Association) has great suggestions for reading lists: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/09bbya.cfm, http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal.cfm, and http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/540000654/post/1530039953.html.
Set up special "quiet reading spots" around your home. A bathtub full of pillows, a quilt in the backyard, a hammock in the shade and keep plenty of magazines, graphic novels, books in print and e Books, a laptop computer handy. Don't forget to stash books or other reading material in the luggage, carry-ons (if you're flying), and in the pockets on the back of the car's front seat. If the stuff to read isn't there, the kids won't even have a chance to read.
Take a break yourself and find a quick read. The power of your example will have an impact on your children. Tell each other about what you are reading. Run to your kids with the latest copy of Sports Illustrated and talk about the NBA finals. Our world is full of opportunities for everyone to read.
Visit http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=42250 to hear the voice of someone else who believes reading is important. Alvin Romer speaks from the heart and tells us how important reading must be in our information-dense society. Also read about Dr. Ben Carson's story at http://carsonscholars.org/.
Keep reading!
In the school year, your children are gaining daily exposure to reading at school so they are practicing there as well as at home with you. When summer comes, kids can lose reading skills, if they don't keep practicing.
Never make it a chore! The secret to reading with your kids in the summer is to make it fun. Think outside the box! Read about your vacation destination or have your kids help research local "mini-vacation" spots right in your backyard. Check out new releases like John H. Ritter's The Desperado Who Saved Baseball for your 5-7th graders, Jon Scieszka's new picture books on trucks for the little ones, Judy Blundell's What I Saw and How I Lied (don't be put off by the title - it's a great opportunity to talk with your young adult about truth and consequences). ALA (the American Library Association) has great suggestions for reading lists: http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/booklistsawards/bestbooksya/09bbya.cfm, http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecottmedal.cfm, and http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/540000654/post/1530039953.html.
Set up special "quiet reading spots" around your home. A bathtub full of pillows, a quilt in the backyard, a hammock in the shade and keep plenty of magazines, graphic novels, books in print and e Books, a laptop computer handy. Don't forget to stash books or other reading material in the luggage, carry-ons (if you're flying), and in the pockets on the back of the car's front seat. If the stuff to read isn't there, the kids won't even have a chance to read.
Take a break yourself and find a quick read. The power of your example will have an impact on your children. Tell each other about what you are reading. Run to your kids with the latest copy of Sports Illustrated and talk about the NBA finals. Our world is full of opportunities for everyone to read.
Visit http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=42250 to hear the voice of someone else who believes reading is important. Alvin Romer speaks from the heart and tells us how important reading must be in our information-dense society. Also read about Dr. Ben Carson's story at http://carsonscholars.org/.
Keep reading!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Networking with People Who Love Reading
I love talking with all kinds of people that have an appreciation for reading as a tool for life and those who are interested in getting kids and families excited about reading, writing, listening and communicating! Today I just had to share my enthusiasm for an event sponsored in beautiful Minneapolis, MN by the International Reading Association (IRA) - their annual conference! I'm already there!
IRA is a place to me where all those interested in children's and family literacy can come together. I noticed in the program that tomorrow is actually considered a Special Teacher Professional Development AND Parent Day. What a great combination!
Why is that partnership so important?
Neither teachers nor parents can be as effective in influencing the children in their lives alone as they can be when they work as partners.
There are plenty of misunderstandings, mistrust and perhaps even potential hostility between families and educators but it doesn't have to be that way if both of you are focusing on the child AND recognize and celebrate each of the strengths you bring to the reading table.
Partnering over a common goal like building enthusiasm and interest in reading lowers so many of the barriers we inadventently put up between teacher and family.
Teachers: don't use that "eudcationese" when talking with families. Understand their family literacy and search for ways to connect that to the academic literacy you teach.
Parents: respect teachers for the things they know that you don't but ask that they give you meaningful ideas for promoting reading when the kids are out of school (without turning the home into an academic hothouse).
When more than one person is involved in promoting literacy with kids, they get the idea that "hey, maybe this is important".
How do you do it?
Teachers, focus on teaching the skills but never forget to let your students in on the secret of what reading is really all about (and adding motivation when you can).
Parents, focus on helping your child see reading and writing as tools for life. Integrate what you do and say about reading into everyday life (writing grocery lists, reading instructional manuals, sharing the reading you have to do with your children and asking for their help in understanding what you have to read if you need that, sharing the latest sports or celebrity article, etc.
I challenge everyone who reads this blog today to share it with one teacher and one family member who has a child who is reading (or getting ready to read). Together we can make a big difference, one child at a time, one book at a time, one experience, one conversation at a time.
Look for my new website, coming live in the next few days!
IRA is a place to me where all those interested in children's and family literacy can come together. I noticed in the program that tomorrow is actually considered a Special Teacher Professional Development AND Parent Day. What a great combination!
Why is that partnership so important?
Neither teachers nor parents can be as effective in influencing the children in their lives alone as they can be when they work as partners.
There are plenty of misunderstandings, mistrust and perhaps even potential hostility between families and educators but it doesn't have to be that way if both of you are focusing on the child AND recognize and celebrate each of the strengths you bring to the reading table.
Partnering over a common goal like building enthusiasm and interest in reading lowers so many of the barriers we inadventently put up between teacher and family.
Teachers: don't use that "eudcationese" when talking with families. Understand their family literacy and search for ways to connect that to the academic literacy you teach.
Parents: respect teachers for the things they know that you don't but ask that they give you meaningful ideas for promoting reading when the kids are out of school (without turning the home into an academic hothouse).
When more than one person is involved in promoting literacy with kids, they get the idea that "hey, maybe this is important".
How do you do it?
Teachers, focus on teaching the skills but never forget to let your students in on the secret of what reading is really all about (and adding motivation when you can).
Parents, focus on helping your child see reading and writing as tools for life. Integrate what you do and say about reading into everyday life (writing grocery lists, reading instructional manuals, sharing the reading you have to do with your children and asking for their help in understanding what you have to read if you need that, sharing the latest sports or celebrity article, etc.
I challenge everyone who reads this blog today to share it with one teacher and one family member who has a child who is reading (or getting ready to read). Together we can make a big difference, one child at a time, one book at a time, one experience, one conversation at a time.
Look for my new website, coming live in the next few days!
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