Reading for pleasure: Some tips Encouraging children to read for pleasure is something teachers and parents often struggle with. It's not just about getting them to pick up a book. It's getting them to engage, and to be motivated to seek out books on their own. We want them to go beyond just pushing through their lessons, and to read at home for the joy of it. The first influence in learning to love reading is, of course, the home environment. When a child grows up in a home where [Read More]
Getting Kids to Read
Use leveled books to help children understand family values and the meaning of friendship…
In thinking about the Paxton Hood quote, “Be as careful of the books you read as the company you keep…”, I am reminded how important it is to learn about friends, companions, companionship, and family. Leveled Reader has selected several books on these important subjects. Not only are they engaging and introduce the subject in an intriguing and varied milieu, but they are leveled for your convenience so you have a better idea of which books would be appropriate to challenge your young [Read More]
Reading sets the stage for success, reading encouragement starts soon after birth.
We know reading sets the stage for success. And becoming a reader really starts soon after birth. If youth can read easily and understand what they are reading by third grade, they can more easily take advantage of the learning opportunities in subsequent grades and beyond. Before school life begins, youth are hearing the spoken word, then begin to understand the written word when being read to and seeing others reading—this is the beginning. The beginning of forming a habit that will have [Read More]
Coaching Young Readers
Whether your relationship to the youth in your life is one of teacher, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or someone else special, part of what you do can be considered coaching. As a coach, there are a few qualities that lead to success. Things like patience, fairness, commitment, leading by example, willingness to learn, keeping everyone involved, making it fun, and encouragement. You can apply these good coach qualities to reading, in whatever reading technique you are using: reading [Read More]
Why read a book? Happiness is as happiness does…
Not too long ago, a study was published confirming “happiness spreads readily through social networks of family members, friends and neighbors.” Further, it described how a person’s emotional state depended not only on actions and choices made, but also on actions and choices other people made—even persons unknown. People who are happy tend to live longer. In essence, the study “concluded happiness is like a contagious disease.” Unfortunately, other studies concluded the same for obesity and [Read More]
Launching Independent Literate Youth – LILY – means encouraging your child to take the necessary steps.
We all want the best for the youth in our lives. Developing skills that lead to a child having the best advantages to make the most of their talents, skills, and dreams must be started at a young age. Just like walking - skills were learned incrementally and practiced to the point where walking was easy and, from there, we could run if we chose. The time to lay the foundation for success is now. To get started, here are some key habits: Read to your child. Not only can you set aside 15-20 [Read More]
Use leveled books to help children understand family values and the meaning of friendship…
In thinking about the Paxton Hood quote, “Be as careful of the books you read as the company you keep…”, I am reminded how important it is to learn about friends, companions, companionship, and family. Leveled Reader has selected several books on these important subjects. Not only are they engaging and introduce the subject in an intriguing and varied milieu, but they are leveled for your convenience so you have a better idea of which books would be appropriate to challenge your young [Read More]
Curiosity may be something that you attribute to cats, we have found that it is a corner stone of success in humans
We all know the curiosity of a child. So many successful men, like Bill Gates, stress how important creative thinking is and how curiosity is a part of being a creative thinker. In an article on About.com, Bill Gates talked about how to promote creative thinking and innovation. Among his tips were “Read a non-fiction book every week, read …. read with pen and notebook in hand; jot down any idea that comes into your consciousness.” Leveled Reader has an entire section of non-fiction books for [Read More]
Does the controversy over rating teachers according to student test scores bypass the underlying issue of why teachers become teachers?
Recently, the USA Today newspaper printed pro and con editorials on rating teachers according to student test scores. As a result, letters to the editor have appeared. There is agreement with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), that teachers need to be well-prepared. But, there are other influences affecting teacher competence: resources, policies, class size, community, economics and population to name a few. In one letter, an ex-teacher from Missouri [Read More]
“Spring” your child (or classroom) into reading with books that reflect this exciting season.
Don’t let "spring fever” make your child lose interest in books. Literacy is not a seasonal activity. Show the kids you care about how to keep spring in their hearts all year long with stories that reflect this great time of year. When I think of Spring, cool breezes on sunny days come to mind. And wild flowers along the road, lambs, calves, foals: baby animals. There is a feeling of wonderment. I think of how we, as teachers and parents, can share some of that wonderment with the children [Read More]
