Happy 2014!
Some statistics to ponder….
70-80% of prison inmates are school dropouts
60% of inmates are illiterate to semiliterate
63% of inmates are repeat offenders
(The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease)
Reading is the building block to every subject a student encounters in school. Why do students drop out? Several reasons of course; however statistics don't lie….
We need to change the social climate of America by changing the graduation rate. Where does it start? Before a child enters the doors of a school building.
Unfortunately, not every child has the opportunity to hear books read aloud snuggled up to a loved one. Not every child is actively participating in family discussions, asking in depth questions about why things work the way they work. Not every child is asked his or her opinion about a topic then asked to support it with reasons and examples. LOL…
Fortunately, some children have this opportunity at home.
Fortunately, teachers are life time learners and seek best practices in literacy to meet every child's learning style.
If you are a parent reading this, just remember this…children strive to be like their parents (whether they admit it or not), so what better role model is there than fostering the love of learning through reading. It doesn't matter if your child is 2 or 12, find the time to read together and talk together. Set high expectations for your child in literacy. Use vocabulary words that you know they haven't heard of…Read books that are too hard for them to read themselves, but ask them questions. Focus on the why and the how questions. You want your child to start a discussion and not answer in one word. You are training your child to think critically for him or herself in a world that is competitive.
If you are a teacher reading this, keep learning, keep loving, keep believing that what we do in the classroom is all worth it. Despite all the pressures of testing, data, evaluations etc… we are in this profession for a reason. On a bad day or at a bad moment, dig deep and remember how you could change a student's life forever.
Some helpful websites for teachers and parents are below….
http://www.candohelperpage.com
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/things-parents-can-build-up-childs-comprehension-skills-5054.html
