Monday, October 11, 2010

Fall Into a Good Book!

Wow! We are starting the fall of with great enthusiasm for independent reading!
Rebecca and I recently went to a curriculum update meeting and left there just full of excitement and a desire to help kids catch our love of books.
Research is showing just how valuable time spent reading independently is for students.
Independent Reading:
*provides opportunities for students to initiate their own reading,
*the material should allow students to pursue their individual interests,
*provides opportunities to practice newly acquired skills, and
*to read more about topics and themes currently being studied in the classroom.”
A Book Is a Present, Mooney, pg. 74


The graph below illustrates just how much time spent reading can impact student performance on standardized tests.

Armed with this validation of what we always knew was true, we plan to get our whole Resnik family pumped about reading!
Consider sharing your love for reading with your family daily:
read a novel together as a family, purchase a magazine subscription for your child, host a book swap party, talk to your child about what you are reading (our staff will be talking about what we're reading with your children!), consider starting a parent/child book club.
My three daughters and I each have a mother/daughter book club and we have discovered a wonderful way to connect with friends and talk about difficult themes in a loving and safe environment. Please contact me, Tracy Craemer, if you'd like help in getting a book club started with your child.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Getting Ready for Read Across America Day!

We are getting so excited as we plan Read Across America Day! We have contacted many local authors and celebrities who will visit the school on March 2nd and share their love of books with our students! What a great way to remember Dr. Suess!
We are also excited about our reading incentive program that we are launching Thursday Jan. 21st in conjunction with the Frederick Keys. Hit a Homerun with Reading. The Keys mascot will be here during lunches on the 21st to kick off the program. Participating students will receive a free ticket to the Keys game on April 17th where Dr. Settles will be throwing out the opening pitch.