Building Strong Readers
HOPE
by
MAISIE
There are few times that are sweeter than feeling a soft, warm baby snuggled up against you. The close tenderness of those moments can stay with you for a lifetime.
A baby comes attached to a parent's hopes and dreams of what they wish that baby's life could be. Whether the parent thinks about it, or not, the success of most of those dreams hinges on whether that little baby grows up to be an effective reader. What makes a baby love reading?
One lesson a parent figures out is that children learn to love reading by being read to. You need to read to them at a young age. Babies love the closeness of being held and hearing their parents' voices.
Reading should be pleasurable for all of the participants. Relax. Breathe. Read. Choose something that you want to read that is appropriate for the baby's mood.
Hold the baby closely in a comfortable position. Read with expression. Read for as long as the child is enjoying the experience. When the baby gets restless, bring the reading to a sweet ending. That's the beginning of building a strong reader!
Check out our new Featured Articles every other Sunday and our once monthly newsletter for more information.
What are your favorite books to share with children? Tell us about them on the CONTACT page. Who knows? Your book information could be published on our website!
Here are a few of my favorites!
*Aubri's Story: Rising Above Bullying by Crystal Ellison
*Ella Autie by Catlaina Vrana
*Harry the Happy Mouse by NGK, illustrated by Janelle Dimmett
*The Great Gilly Hopkins and *Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
*Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
*Pass It On: African-American Poetry for Children
In this world, heavy with chaos,
so many are suffering, quietly breaking
hearts stitched with unseen wounds,
eyes exhausted from searching for answers.
In a time without certainty,
tomorrow feels like a question unanswered
how do we live without fear,
when every step trembles with doubt?
How do we live as if we are whole,
when something inside us is always falling apart?
To smile through the weight of it all,
to endure pain no one else can see.
When will that life arrive
the one that feels gentle, unshaken?
Where nights are soft and forgiving,
and mornings carry something like hope?
Perhaps it does not come all at once,
nor from running, nor from forgetting
but in the quiet courage of staying,
in learning that healing takes time.
And in the middle of noise and fear,
there is a small voice that remains
a whisper that refuses to fade:
“Keep going… even now, you can.”
Because life, despite its storms,
is more than fear and brokenness
it is rising after every fall,
and choosing yourself, even in pieces
MAISIE is a young digital creator from the Philippines. She reflects on the world around her as she writes nuanced and sensitive poems about the human condition.
Readers' Corner - exploring reading for pleasure.
THE LOVING VINE – BOCK BOB
Reading for Pleasure - a reading strategy that changes lives
When I was in my grad school program, I learned a reading strategy called "Reading for Pleasure." It is an amazing program that can improve the lives of struggling readers. It's easy! Have the reader select a book of their choice at their reading level. How can you tell if the book is appropriate? You don't need to be a reading teacher. If they can easily read a random passage of about 100 words from the book, it's a good choice for them. If they stumble over words and hesitate while reading, then it is too hard. They need to find another book.
Reading for Pleasure is done daily, at least five days per week. Once the reader has their book, they need to read it for at least 20 minutes per day. After the 20 minutes of reading, the reader writes in her journal. The journal can be a notebook or she can use a computer. She puts the name of the book (the first time she writes about the book), the date, and which pages were read. Then, the student paraphrases what they have read. They tell about the story in their own words. They do not copy any sentences from the book. In fact, it helps them learn to retain information when they seldom look at the book after they finish reading. I discourage, but do not forbid, looking back in the book. One thing that helps is if they can discuss what they read with somebody else. That helps them get their thoughts in order. Then, they write in the journal. Have the reader share with another person what they wrote in their reading journal . That's it!
I have known middle and high school students to increase their reading scores 2-3 grade levels in one semester, when they are doing this program daily. Their academic lives improved greatly!
Words Bring Wisdom!
"It does not matter how slowly you go, as long as you do not stop."~Confucius
"I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying."~Michael Jordan
"Believe that you can and you're halfway there."~Theodore Roosevelt