Archive for 2011
Books to entertain— not to teach anything.
June 25, 2011
Looking for a summer home-run read? Look to the books of Beverly Cleary —95 years old— and the author of over 42 books, many of which turn(ed) countless kids into the readers they are today. I can’t imagine somebody not finding a book by Beverly Cleary they don’t fall in love with. And we know, that […]
Get off the literary stair master and stop counting the number of books you or your children are reading.
June 17, 2011
Upon returning from a fact finding trip to the US which included a visit to a NYC charter school, the UK Education Secretary announced that every student from upper-elementary through the high school grades should read fifty books a year. Read 50 books a year and become a reader —really? Here is one more episode […]
Terrific resource for summertime reading
June 7, 2011
Websites offering summertime book recommendations can be overwhelming. One of my favorite online resource for book recommendations is http://www.neh.gov/projects/summertime-kto3.html Their recommendations are refreshingly on target for age appropriate titles. In choosing books children will enjoy, parents should pay attention not just to the reading level but also to the emotional readiness a child brings to […]
Make the most of summertime reading—strategies to avoid the summer slide.
June 3, 2011
We know from extensive research that without continued reading in the summer, students fall back in their reading achievement. The good news is that the latest research shows students who read at least 4 books over the summer maintain or even increase their skills. Reading is a skill that continues to improve through practice. The […]
Pre-school age children do not need tutors to get them ready to enter Kindergarten.
May 20, 2011
A recent article flagged a growing trend to push expensive tutoring programs aimed at the preschool set. I suggest parents relax and avoid anxiety producing pre-school tutoring programs and their promises of making sure children are ready for school. Reading to children and talking with them about the story are the early literacy skills they […]
