In 2012, my wife Barb and I were commiserating about the state of reading in the country—specifically what she, a 4th grade teacher, called ‘the dreaded summer slide’. Far too many kids, particularly from families that struggle, head back into class every fall, with less opportunity than their peers. They are not as engaged. They …
I recently caught up with a dear colleague. When I asked her what she saw as she worked closely with our teachers and teacher leaders, her immediate answer was “politics”. The concept that everything is political started with Aristotle and is consistently restated today. Although I avoid them, I cannot deny that what I eat, …
A literacy environment should be cultivated by its curriculum. Learning how to read and develop literacy skills is a process that will benefit a child their entire life. It is the foundation for other subjects, and a manner in which students learn to communicate and learn about their world, near and far. The process to …
August and September traditionally serve as the months for Meet the Teacher nights. Families file into school buildings to check out classrooms, admire bulletin boards, and inquire about policies and procedures. I am suggesting that parents make a detour on their way to classrooms this school year. Visit the school library. Yes, it’s true. School …
How do you get kids excited about books? Over my 25 years of teaching, I’ve discovered many ways to spark excitement. Here are 10 to get you started: Start an After-School Book Club Invite a guest reader from the community to kick off the meetings. After the read-aloud, the kids spread out to read independently …
10 Ways to Explode Your Students’ Excitement for Reading! Read More »
Is everyone really ready for all of the faces hiding behind the computers to return to the brick-and-mortar classroom? Jose’s alarm rang. He rolled over and turned off the alarm on his cell phone. He was used to his new routine of rolling out of bed and opening his computer, as he sat up …
The Story Behind Education’s Recovery After the Pandemic Read More »
All children like to read things they can relate to or that make them feel good. And the best children’s stories I “read” were those on the laps of my parents. In order to write books for children of a different mold than our own, we need to know them. I grew up in a …
How to get more books and build bigger libraries for your young readers Parents always ask how they can expand the Kids Read Now summer reading program into the rest of the year. Here are seven great ways to get more free or almost free books. This will keep your children building their reading skills …
It’s not enough to say that home libraries are important. We need to take it a step further and ask why home libraries are important and how we can help build your student\’s home library. Why a home library? Let’s start with this: “Children growing up in homes with many books get 3 years more …
Many kids survive in a \”book desert\” without access to books. Let’s rain books onto every child to create a book oasis instead. “Something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast.” Oh, wait… that’s an oasis. During this current crisis, many of us have spent time creating our own oasis with multiple trips to Home …
