We have heard the research, reading to and with kids is a powerful method for reading success. From the time our smallest students begin school, our primary teachers know that reading aloud is an essential part of the day. But reading aloud in school is not simply an act of reading a story aloud. This is the time when adults can model for children what reading looks like on the inside. And reading aloud should continue up the grades as long as possible.
Reading is an invisible act. The thinking that occurs, the predicting, the wondering, the questions and answers, all happen while reading, but no one can see it. Often, as adult readers, we don't even realize we are doing it. It has only been in the past few years that I have really tuned in to my invisible reading.
Now, despite my best efforts, I notice it all the time! I can't read a good Dorothea Benton Frank book without thinking, "Ooooh, I know where this is going. This is how books tend to go," and "What?! I did not see that coming. That was totally out of character for that person. I wonder what that means for the story."
So the read aloud is where we make the invisible visible for our students. It is critical to use that time to model our thinking. For the smallest readers, our preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students, we model the emotions that a story evokes. We share when we notice character traits and feelings in the pictures and words.
Think about what we want students to notice and show them how we do that.
As our readers grow and their reading skills become more sophisticated, our modeling also becomes more sophisticated. Our thinking deepens and we share our how we notice character changes and how the characters we are reading are complex. We identify themes and can track those themes through the story. For our older readers, this is when we model writing about reading. Our thinking gets jotted down. While as adult readers, we don't normally write our thoughts while reading, it's imperative that we teach our students to do this so that we can see what kind of thinking they are doing. We can't sit and read with every student every day, so we need a way to check in on their thinking.
For many people, reading is both a way to learn more about the world and a relaxing act. We want our students to become readers because we know that they will be more successful in life if they are readers. We also want them to develop a joy for and love of reading. But, it is critical that we leverage the read aloud time in school to show students the thinking that occurs when we read. With time being our most valued commodity, each act during the school day must be purposeful and intentional. As Lucy Calkins would say, "spy on yourself as a reader" and notice what you are doing. Then model this for your students.
Final thoughts... yes, please impart on your students what joy can be found in reading. But our job as teachers is ultimately to teach, so take time to plan and be intentional with your read alouds.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Let's talk about it...
I am currently reading Disrupting Thinking by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst.
These are two reading gurus, if you are not familiar with them. Their style of writing is easy to understand and super relatable. One of the big take-aways I have hit on so far is the importance of knowing how we (and our students/children) respond to what we read. They have two terms that were new to me, but I will be using -- aesthetic reading and efferent reading.
Basically, aesthetic reading is being alert to what the text is doing to us - what feelings does the text elicit and what do we do in response to those feelings? Efferent reading is reading to simply extract information, like when we read directions to put together a bookshelf.
So, when we read, we respond by laughing, crying, getting angry, or even being motivated to do something. And all this goes back to showing how well we comprehend what we read. But it also relates to being what Beers and Probst call a responsible reader. This is a reader who can examine their reactions to a text and then use that to test the validity of the text. In the age of "fake news" and social media, our reactions tend to be quick and not always well thought out. But if we take time to really notice and analyze our reactions, we will gain some insight into the text itself.
This is good stuff for grown ups. But it's also great for kids. Because this is what we need to be teaching our readers. And we do that through talking! I had an earlier blog about what questions you could ask your kids about their reading to move past the simple, "What's it about?". Reading this book has added more ideas to this line of thinking. Questions like: "How did that make you feel?" and "What does that make you want to do?" will have us really examining what we took away from a text. It will also give insight into how well you (or your child) understood it. If you ask someone how the story/article/poem made them feel and they say it didn't, that's a red flag. Authors write to elicit feelings. They choose their craft moves very specifically. Authors of "fake new" specifically are looking to ignite something. They often make very bold statements that are meant to get you feeling strongly. When you click that article on Facebook or Twitter and it gets you all hot and bothered, stop and think about why! And then talk about it. This is a great time to model aesthetic reading for your growing reader.
As kids get older, reading to them becomes harder to do. They want to read on their own and they have specific tastes. But you can still set aside time to talk books with them. And if you are reading together, then make part of that time talk time.
Beers and Probst talk about three types of readers that we want: Responsive, Responsible, and Compassionate. We have to be all of those also!
 |
| Disrupting Thinking by Kylene Beers and Robert Probst |
These are two reading gurus, if you are not familiar with them. Their style of writing is easy to understand and super relatable. One of the big take-aways I have hit on so far is the importance of knowing how we (and our students/children) respond to what we read. They have two terms that were new to me, but I will be using -- aesthetic reading and efferent reading.
Basically, aesthetic reading is being alert to what the text is doing to us - what feelings does the text elicit and what do we do in response to those feelings? Efferent reading is reading to simply extract information, like when we read directions to put together a bookshelf.
So, when we read, we respond by laughing, crying, getting angry, or even being motivated to do something. And all this goes back to showing how well we comprehend what we read. But it also relates to being what Beers and Probst call a responsible reader. This is a reader who can examine their reactions to a text and then use that to test the validity of the text. In the age of "fake news" and social media, our reactions tend to be quick and not always well thought out. But if we take time to really notice and analyze our reactions, we will gain some insight into the text itself.
This is good stuff for grown ups. But it's also great for kids. Because this is what we need to be teaching our readers. And we do that through talking! I had an earlier blog about what questions you could ask your kids about their reading to move past the simple, "What's it about?". Reading this book has added more ideas to this line of thinking. Questions like: "How did that make you feel?" and "What does that make you want to do?" will have us really examining what we took away from a text. It will also give insight into how well you (or your child) understood it. If you ask someone how the story/article/poem made them feel and they say it didn't, that's a red flag. Authors write to elicit feelings. They choose their craft moves very specifically. Authors of "fake new" specifically are looking to ignite something. They often make very bold statements that are meant to get you feeling strongly. When you click that article on Facebook or Twitter and it gets you all hot and bothered, stop and think about why! And then talk about it. This is a great time to model aesthetic reading for your growing reader.
As kids get older, reading to them becomes harder to do. They want to read on their own and they have specific tastes. But you can still set aside time to talk books with them. And if you are reading together, then make part of that time talk time.
Beers and Probst talk about three types of readers that we want: Responsive, Responsible, and Compassionate. We have to be all of those also!
Thursday, January 25, 2018
To Be or Not To Be... Grammar Instruction in Question
Some nerds (read: well-read professionals) like me remember fondly the days of diagramming sentences. Nothing gave me greater pleasure than categorizing every word in a sentence. But, this is not because I learned all about grammar. It is really because I so enjoy organizing things. Putting everything in its proper place just makes me happy. Knowing that a dog is a noun doesn't do much for my ability to speak correctly.
Helping children master conventions like punctuation and capitalization and using grammar properly is really important but really tricky. It has to be done in a way that will transfer into real life. We have long since figured this out with reading, math, science, and social studies. Unless we make the content applicable and important to our students, it won't stick. And if it doesn't stick, what's the point??
We have seen this with spelling instruction. Giving students a list of random words to practice all week, then a test on Friday rarely ends with a student's spelling improving.
Y'all, there are 44 different speech sounds and more than 100 spellings used to represent them (Blevins, 1998; Bos & Vaughn, 2002). But that's for another post. :)
So how do we do it at school? What can be done at home?
Many teachers study mentor sentences. This means that they will lift a piece of text from something they have read in class and study it for the craft moves that the author makes.
Here's an example:
"Larger spiders can eat birds- even rats, lizards, or snakes!" --from Weird, Wild, and Wonderful: Ugly Creatures
What are some things the author has done in this sentence?
First, I notice there is a dash in the middle of the sentence. So when I read, I pause briefly, and then I read the next part with a little more emphasis.
I also see that the sentence ends with an exclamation point.
So by using the dash and the exclamation point, the author really wants to emphasize how interesting it is that spiders can eat these animals. And it is interesting! Those are big animals.
Then you might have children try writing a sentence like this. They could go back into a piece of their own writing to find where they want to emphasize some examples.
We have done two things here -- we have pulled real craft moves out of a real text, and then we have asked students to try these same moves in their own, real writing.
Authenticity is the name of the game.
If you are teacher or a parent, using mentor sentences is easy enough and can be done naturally. As you are reading with children, talk about the things you notice an author doing that make the book, story, information, more engaging. When children laugh at parts, talk about what made them laugh.
Also, noticing these things yourself is really important so that you can point them out! You don't have to go looking for texts. They will find you if you are reading regularly.
There are some other factors that play into proper grammar usage. Think about how you speak at home and school to students. What they hear, they will repeat. If we want them to speak correctly, we have to model that for them! They have no way of knowing that the incorrect grammar we use in a funny or haphazard way is incorrect unless they consistently hear and use correct grammar themselves. This comes first in oral language and then in written language.
So, while many of my generation and before might wonder where the grammar instruction has gone and why students aren't learning it, let me assure you it's still there. But today we do it in a way that we hope will transfer to real life. And everyone is a part of that!! Also keep in mind that grammar, just like every other skill children learn, comes in developmental stages. Be patient, persistent, and a good model. It will come.
Friday, November 10, 2017
Writing - Get to the why
One of the most important questions and answers we can give students when it comes to writing is WHY.
Why do we write?
As adults, we write on a daily basis. We make lists, plans, emails, texts. Some of us write stories, poems, journal entries. We write proposals, lesson plans, briefs. The list of what we write is endless. And we always have a purpose for what we write. That's why we don't sit down with a heavy heart thinking about the list we have to make for the grocery store, or the email we need to send a coworker. We have a purpose, so we sit and write.
It's imperative that we give our children the same purpose.
So what could this look like?
Katie Wood Ray and a variety of other writing gurus hit on this idea that students need to know why they are writing and teachers everywhere are figuring out engaging ways of exploring this idea. In the classroom, providing purpose could be done through an exploration of what is being read. As you read books, talk about why the author chose to write that book.
Teachers can also hold an inquiry discussion at the beginning of a writing unit and have the kids get to the why. Let them share their ideas about why they will be writing in a certain genre or a certain piece.
At home, parents can do the same!
Being transparent about our writing purpose and naming it for kids is easy. When you sit down to make a list or write an email, just say it.
"It's time to make a list for the grocery store! We don't want to forget anything, so we better write it down."
Or
"I need to share these ideas with _________. I'm going to write an email to them so they will know what ideas I have."
And if you are a writer, even better! You can share your writing time with your child and let them be a part of that process. Letting them know you just had a great idea for a story that you know will make people laugh and then sitting down to write in front of them would be so powerful.
In the end, writing is like anything else. If we want to get better, we have to work at it. We have to practice. We have to try new techniques. We have to keep learning about the craft. Don't be scared!
Why do we write?
As adults, we write on a daily basis. We make lists, plans, emails, texts. Some of us write stories, poems, journal entries. We write proposals, lesson plans, briefs. The list of what we write is endless. And we always have a purpose for what we write. That's why we don't sit down with a heavy heart thinking about the list we have to make for the grocery store, or the email we need to send a coworker. We have a purpose, so we sit and write.
It's imperative that we give our children the same purpose.
So what could this look like?
Katie Wood Ray and a variety of other writing gurus hit on this idea that students need to know why they are writing and teachers everywhere are figuring out engaging ways of exploring this idea. In the classroom, providing purpose could be done through an exploration of what is being read. As you read books, talk about why the author chose to write that book.
Teachers can also hold an inquiry discussion at the beginning of a writing unit and have the kids get to the why. Let them share their ideas about why they will be writing in a certain genre or a certain piece.
At home, parents can do the same!
Being transparent about our writing purpose and naming it for kids is easy. When you sit down to make a list or write an email, just say it.
"It's time to make a list for the grocery store! We don't want to forget anything, so we better write it down."
Or
"I need to share these ideas with _________. I'm going to write an email to them so they will know what ideas I have."
And if you are a writer, even better! You can share your writing time with your child and let them be a part of that process. Letting them know you just had a great idea for a story that you know will make people laugh and then sitting down to write in front of them would be so powerful.
In the end, writing is like anything else. If we want to get better, we have to work at it. We have to practice. We have to try new techniques. We have to keep learning about the craft. Don't be scared!
Thursday, March 2, 2017
Goldilocks and the just right books
As Goldilocks chooses the bed that fits her just right, she realizes that she needs a good book to settle down with. She chooses one book, nice and thick, lots of words, and begins to read.
"This is too hard!"
She chooses another book, a sturdy book, with big pictures, a few words on each page, and big print. As she begins to read this, she says, 'This is too easy!"
Finally, Goldilocks chooses a book with some chapters, a few challenging words, interesting characters, and even some pictures sprinkled in here and there.
"Ahhhhh, this is just right for me!" She settles in with her book in her lap and smile on her face.
In a high functioning literacy classroom, you will hear talk of reading levels, book levels, and matching readers to just right books. For many parents and even some school people, this sounds foreign and scary.
I want to start by emphasizing that this blog will focus on matching readers to books. Children can't be boxed in by a letter or number. If we want to kill a love of reading like the Terminix man stomps out pests, then let's just start referring to kids as a "Level P". Books are levels, kids are not.
However, there is certainly a place for making sure kids are reading books that are accessible to them. Think back to a time when you have been faced with a text that had numerous words that were difficult to read and understand. How did it make you feel? Frustrated? Annoyed? Did you quit? Chances are, yes. Or you pushed through because you had to, but you really didn't take much from what you read. That's how our children feel when they are given a text (a book, magazine article, etc) that is too difficult (ie. on a higher level than they can access).
The flip side of that is a book that is too easy. Students who are learning to read need a chance to practice the skills and strategies they are being taught. And they need to do it in books that will present the challenges they need to actually use such skills.
There are several different leveling systems for books, but a very prevalent one that has been around for a long time was developed by Fountas and Pinnell. This system assigns books a letter based on several factors. In looking at books of different levels, one would notice these factors are everything from text size, white space on a page, text/picture dependency, plot complexity, character development, and more. This leveling system begins with A, the easiest type of book, and goes all the way to Z+. In levels A through about J/K, each level is fairly distinct. The text decreases in size, the white space decreases, word count and complexity increases. After J/K, text levels are more easily grouped together and the complexity of the text is found in the characters, plot lines, and underlying messages and themes.
Teachers take time to sit and listen to students read, noting their strengths and areas of needed growth. Based on this, they are able to determine an independent level and an instructional level for each child. If a child can read fluently and accurately and comprehend most of the story, this would be their independent level. The instructional level is just outside of their independent reach. This is the level where teachers can push students, teaching them the skills and strategies for accessing a more challenging text.
What does this mean for parents?
At home, when reading alone, students need to be able to read and understand a book easily. If you are reading together, choose a more challenging book.
My dad read me the Hobbit when I was in elementary school. While I think he was a little off on his level, because he was reading it to me, I had the opportunity to talk to him about it and ask questions. Not only did this help my reading ability and grow my love for reading, but it also gave us some quality time doing something we both loved.
Also, be sure to check with your child's teacher for suggestions for great books at each level. It can be overwhelming to walk into the library or bookstore and set children free. So going in with some ideas for what books at the right level would look like can be so helpful! And again, children are not a level. So I am not saying only choose books at certain levels for your child. But knowing their reading zone is a good tool.
I'll finish by sounding like a broken record. Reading together at home is the single most important thing you can do for your child as a student. If you find time for nothing else, please make time to read together and/or for your child to read independently. There is direct correlation between the time spent reading and a child's academic success. Y'all, it doesn't get any easier than that. Just read.
"This is too hard!"
She chooses another book, a sturdy book, with big pictures, a few words on each page, and big print. As she begins to read this, she says, 'This is too easy!"
Finally, Goldilocks chooses a book with some chapters, a few challenging words, interesting characters, and even some pictures sprinkled in here and there.
"Ahhhhh, this is just right for me!" She settles in with her book in her lap and smile on her face.
In a high functioning literacy classroom, you will hear talk of reading levels, book levels, and matching readers to just right books. For many parents and even some school people, this sounds foreign and scary.
I want to start by emphasizing that this blog will focus on matching readers to books. Children can't be boxed in by a letter or number. If we want to kill a love of reading like the Terminix man stomps out pests, then let's just start referring to kids as a "Level P". Books are levels, kids are not.
However, there is certainly a place for making sure kids are reading books that are accessible to them. Think back to a time when you have been faced with a text that had numerous words that were difficult to read and understand. How did it make you feel? Frustrated? Annoyed? Did you quit? Chances are, yes. Or you pushed through because you had to, but you really didn't take much from what you read. That's how our children feel when they are given a text (a book, magazine article, etc) that is too difficult (ie. on a higher level than they can access).
The flip side of that is a book that is too easy. Students who are learning to read need a chance to practice the skills and strategies they are being taught. And they need to do it in books that will present the challenges they need to actually use such skills.
There are several different leveling systems for books, but a very prevalent one that has been around for a long time was developed by Fountas and Pinnell. This system assigns books a letter based on several factors. In looking at books of different levels, one would notice these factors are everything from text size, white space on a page, text/picture dependency, plot complexity, character development, and more. This leveling system begins with A, the easiest type of book, and goes all the way to Z+. In levels A through about J/K, each level is fairly distinct. The text decreases in size, the white space decreases, word count and complexity increases. After J/K, text levels are more easily grouped together and the complexity of the text is found in the characters, plot lines, and underlying messages and themes.
Teachers take time to sit and listen to students read, noting their strengths and areas of needed growth. Based on this, they are able to determine an independent level and an instructional level for each child. If a child can read fluently and accurately and comprehend most of the story, this would be their independent level. The instructional level is just outside of their independent reach. This is the level where teachers can push students, teaching them the skills and strategies for accessing a more challenging text.
What does this mean for parents?
At home, when reading alone, students need to be able to read and understand a book easily. If you are reading together, choose a more challenging book.
My dad read me the Hobbit when I was in elementary school. While I think he was a little off on his level, because he was reading it to me, I had the opportunity to talk to him about it and ask questions. Not only did this help my reading ability and grow my love for reading, but it also gave us some quality time doing something we both loved.
Also, be sure to check with your child's teacher for suggestions for great books at each level. It can be overwhelming to walk into the library or bookstore and set children free. So going in with some ideas for what books at the right level would look like can be so helpful! And again, children are not a level. So I am not saying only choose books at certain levels for your child. But knowing their reading zone is a good tool.
I'll finish by sounding like a broken record. Reading together at home is the single most important thing you can do for your child as a student. If you find time for nothing else, please make time to read together and/or for your child to read independently. There is direct correlation between the time spent reading and a child's academic success. Y'all, it doesn't get any easier than that. Just read.
Friday, January 13, 2017
What's better than, "So what was it about?"
Reading -- by now we all know how important it is. Even without being told, we (parents, teachers, human beings) know that reading is critical to the success of our children. Exposing kids to different genres, types of print, ways to access books -- all key components in literacy growth. As parents though, sometimes knowing for sure if our kids are reading can be really tough. I'll be honest, sometimes, as a teacher, it can be tough! We can't read every book out there. So what do we do about this? How can we make sure our kids are reading, but in a way that doesn't kill the joy. I certainly don't want to write a book report when I finish my books. In school, the reality is that there are things kids will do around reading that won't always be fun. That's life. But at home, it can be a different story.
I have a three year old, and while she is very chatty and forthcoming about things that don't necessarily need to be shared with the world, when it comes to talking about what she does at preschool, I get the "I don't know" or the "Nothing" that make me want to throttle something. Listen, kid, I know you did stuff at school!!
So, I have to think carefully, employing all my best teacher tools to get at what they really might have done in her three year old class. And you may find yourself doing the same thing with your 4, 5, 6, ... 15 year old. I am a literacy coach, I cannot have that kid that won't talk books with me. That would totally ruin my reputation, not to mention my kids future success as a genius. :) I joke, but truly, I have had to really employ some strategies that I want to share with you in hopes that you can open up some book talks in your home in a way that fosters a love of reading instead of making it feel like a chore right up there with getting your kid to eat her vegetables.
In pre-k through about 1st grade, stories are simplistic. Language, pictures, and storylines in these books are very surface. There are few characters and they don't change much. The setting is static. Problems are simple and solved fairly quickly.
Asking questions like:
I have a three year old, and while she is very chatty and forthcoming about things that don't necessarily need to be shared with the world, when it comes to talking about what she does at preschool, I get the "I don't know" or the "Nothing" that make me want to throttle something. Listen, kid, I know you did stuff at school!!
So, I have to think carefully, employing all my best teacher tools to get at what they really might have done in her three year old class. And you may find yourself doing the same thing with your 4, 5, 6, ... 15 year old. I am a literacy coach, I cannot have that kid that won't talk books with me. That would totally ruin my reputation, not to mention my kids future success as a genius. :) I joke, but truly, I have had to really employ some strategies that I want to share with you in hopes that you can open up some book talks in your home in a way that fosters a love of reading instead of making it feel like a chore right up there with getting your kid to eat her vegetables.
In pre-k through about 1st grade, stories are simplistic. Language, pictures, and storylines in these books are very surface. There are few characters and they don't change much. The setting is static. Problems are simple and solved fairly quickly.
Asking questions like:
- Who is in your story? What are their names?
- Where is all that happening? Is it in a house? A neighborhood? A city? How do you know? What do you see in the pictures?
- Does this person, place remind you of anything?
- Here, because this level of books are short and sweet - it's easy to model for your child. Saying, "Oh goodness! All that snow on the cover, that reminds me of the snow we got last year! Did _______ (character's name) do the same things we did in the snow?"
- What was your favorite part of the book? Favorite picture?
As the books get longer, it gets harder to engage in conversations around the book because they are very one-sided. If you haven't read it, you can't participate much. But you can ask some questions that could spur some talking, like:
- Who are the main people in the book? What is their relationship to each other? How do they feel about each other?
- When is the story happening? Is it current, past, future? How do you know?
- Who else would like this book? Why?
- Did this book remind you of anyone/anything/another book? Why?
- Has anything surprised you? Made you sad? Made you mad?
- Asking how the book is making your child feel can really get at the heart of how well they understand the book. If they aren't feeling anything, are they getting it? Most authors write to elicit certain emotions.
- Has ______________(character) changed at all?
Finally, as we all know, conversations are much more productive when all parties are involved. As you engage your child in talking about their book, you have to participate. Really listen to what they are saying and respond in real ways. Share your thoughts about a book you are reading or have read. Make connections to what they are saying.
Hey, you could even read the same book and have a book club with your child.
Your children are talking about books in their classroom, with their teachers and friends. Fostering more talk about books at home will only benefit them more!
Get reading and get talking!! And I'll do my best to find out what my child is actually doing in her class :)
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Why reading in the home is so important
Most kids find something they love -- basketball, dance, golf -- and when they find that something, they also find someone, someone in that sport or activity they admire. Usually that person is high profile and really good at what they do. Our children watch these people, study them, imitate them. Because they love the sport, they love the person playing it. And then by watching that person, they love the sport even more.
The same can be said for reading. While we will never see a reading marathon on television (can you imagine the tailgate for that?!) it is just as important for our children to see how much we love reading. I am well aware there are some non-readers out there and they make amazing parents. But what I know about these people is that they fake it well too. They understand how important reading is and pretend they love it for the sake of their kids. But what if... what if we all really truly loved reading? What would that look like in our homes? What would that mean for our kids?
I grew up in a home of readers. Both my parents love to read. I am in a book club with my mom even now. Because my parents loved to read, I saw them reading all the time. They read the newspaper daily. They read books, lots of books. In turn, they read to me and with me. For years, we read together. Sometimes that together was the same book. Sometimes it just meant we were in the same room together reading our own books. On trips out of town, we took stacks of books. Trips to the book store and library were frequent.
I could quote numerous statistics to you, all you have to do is Google literacy and reading in the home and you'll see all the research that has been done. But I can also speak to you from my own experiences and my teaching experiences. Students who have parents who are readers read more. It's not a hard and fast rule (but what is?) but it has almost always been true with my students. Reading in the home isn't just for preschool and primary level children. If we want our kids to continue to be readers, we have to be their reading idols, the object of their admiration. We have to give them someone to study and imitate.
No one said parenting would be fun. I can attest to that firsthand!! But if we want our children to be successful, the statistics are out there and they are undeniable. We have to raise readers.
The same can be said for reading. While we will never see a reading marathon on television (can you imagine the tailgate for that?!) it is just as important for our children to see how much we love reading. I am well aware there are some non-readers out there and they make amazing parents. But what I know about these people is that they fake it well too. They understand how important reading is and pretend they love it for the sake of their kids. But what if... what if we all really truly loved reading? What would that look like in our homes? What would that mean for our kids?
I grew up in a home of readers. Both my parents love to read. I am in a book club with my mom even now. Because my parents loved to read, I saw them reading all the time. They read the newspaper daily. They read books, lots of books. In turn, they read to me and with me. For years, we read together. Sometimes that together was the same book. Sometimes it just meant we were in the same room together reading our own books. On trips out of town, we took stacks of books. Trips to the book store and library were frequent.
I could quote numerous statistics to you, all you have to do is Google literacy and reading in the home and you'll see all the research that has been done. But I can also speak to you from my own experiences and my teaching experiences. Students who have parents who are readers read more. It's not a hard and fast rule (but what is?) but it has almost always been true with my students. Reading in the home isn't just for preschool and primary level children. If we want our kids to continue to be readers, we have to be their reading idols, the object of their admiration. We have to give them someone to study and imitate.
No one said parenting would be fun. I can attest to that firsthand!! But if we want our children to be successful, the statistics are out there and they are undeniable. We have to raise readers.
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