Books for Boys

This week's blog is for all the moms out their with sons who are reluctant readers.

We are taught from a very young age that the more you practice, the better you will get.  So what happens when your son, finds no enjoyment or engagement in the books he's told he has to read?

I am imagining this...you open your son's backpack and find a book that he needs to read for twenty minutes for his reading log.  When you mention that he needs to read, you hear a grunt.
      A huge power struggle begins that results in frustrated parents and children.
      There are negative thoughts and feelings being associated with books.
      Valuable reading time is being lost.

What do you do as a parent?

First, talk to you child about why he doesn't want to read the book. It may be a topic he actually does enjoy but it's too difficult.  This provides the perfect opportunity for you to read aloud to him and have an in depth conversation about the characters, plot, genre, and reasons why the author might have written the book.

If you know your child can read the words and understand the topic, but is just not into it, find out if this was a choice book or a required text.  At many points in our life, we do need read required texts; however it needs to be paired with something enjoyable. 

Why?

Your son needs to have a positive experience with a book; that's the only way he will want to pick it up again and.... the practice begins.

How do you hook your child on the right book? Recommendations from teachers and fellow parents are great, but we are not the ones who will have to read the book.  To make this a more meaningful experience, engage your son in the process. Bring him to Barnes and Noble, the Library, or any other bookstore around.  Look through all different kinds of books, see what he gravitates towards.

If he chooses a book too hard, don't discourage the choice.  You can read the book to him and this will build his receptive vocabulary, so when he encounters these words, he will have an easier time decoding and understanding them.

I have referenced the following website many times in the past, but I keep coming back to it whenever a parent inquires..."How do I get my son to love reading?"

Check it out, and please comment below about your own experiences.

http://www.guysread.com/books/ 
 
     

Back to Blogging in 2014

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

Reading on the RIght Level

Reading research shows that the more time a student spends reading, the better the reader he or she becomes.  Before you give your child 20 texts, please consider the following:

What level does your child read at with 98% or higher accuracy and solid comprehension?

With the new Common Core Standards, students are expected to read in a range. What this means is they should be exposed to texts that are on their independent level.  These texts they will read with ease and be able to understand and discuss the texts.  They need to be exposed to on grade level texts, and if this is above their instructional level, they will need lots of guidance.  If it is on their instructional level, they will need some guidance to decode words and monitor comprehension.  All students should be exposed to above grade level or above instructional level texts through read alouds.  The basis for reading is listening. The more background knowledge that we can provide, the better the foundation the student has to jump start his or her reading

Leveling systems may vary among districts.  A common text gradient by Fountas and Pinnell pinpoints where a student should be at each grade level.  Books in teachers' libraries are leveled so students are guided to make the right choices.

 

Gian Paul Gonzalez - ARE YOU ALL IN?

Take this message however it can apply to your life now.
Ask yourself, are you ALL IN? Everyone's "all in" is different.  Just imagine, if every single
adult was "All IN" to every child's literacy development.......Wow how the world would change.
I'm All IN.

Are you All IN?

Did you know that research shows that students who will have successful first reading experiences have had 500 books read aloud to them? At first the number sounds high, but it really isn't... Reflect on your own child from birth to age 4-5. How many books have you, family members, caregivers, teachers, and even apps read to them?

Reading aloud builds a solid foundation for your student or child to take ownership as a reader themselves.  As you read a title and the author of a book, they are learning that a person wrote the text and drew the pictures.  Kids learn directionality  (reading left to right) and tracking (pointing to the word that is being read) as well as thinking and talking about pictures.

I have heard many many parents say, "my kids just won't stop to listen....they are always on the go...they lose focus...they are just not into it"  I ask you, are you ALL IN?

Inspired by our Somerville Public School In Service Day speaker, Gian Paul Gonzalez, I realized this small statement speaks volumes when it comes to our children's literacy development.

Prioritize.  Believe in the process. Tell them you are doing it, and DO IT. Even if you have a stuffed animal as your audience.  Kids understand what we value as adults.  It's going to catch on.  If it doesn't, think of your time frame.  If you are reading to a 4 year old, you have 4-6 minutes for them to stay engaged.  Consider the topic you are reading.  Are you using intonation? Are you vested in this quiet time or are you texting while flipping through pages?
No one is perfect.  Just like our students can sense when adults are angry or happy; they can sense what we value and truly believe in. Make it a priority and go ALL IN!

Surround your child with just right texts!

Researchers findings consistently state that the best readers read a lot! Well, that makes sense; however your child needs access to lots of texts at their reading level.  They need to build stamina with independent reading and be exposed to higher levels through read alouds.  What level does your child's teacher say  they are reading?



http://home.comcast.net/~ngiansante/

Find tons of texts at that level here...

Benefits of a one on one tutor

A one on one tutor can reach students like no other teacher can. Below are five methods that can help a one on one tutor better reach their students and improve their grades.

1. THE STUDENT AS AN INDIVIDUAL
There are many ways that a one on one tutor can help students. In the classroom, a teacher inevitably must deal with the class as a whole and, unfortunately, the individual often slips through the cracks. The most important aspect of the one on one tutor is its individual nature.

2. REINFORCEMENT
Positive reinforcement is another tool that a one on one tutor has to offer. A student always prefers to hear that he/she is intelligent and grasping the material rather than being threatened into trying to learn it. Upon hearing this praise, the student strives harder to comprehend the material.

3. MAKING THE SUBJECT ENJOYABLE
If a teacher/tutor can make the material enjoyable, it is much more likely that a student will not only understand it, but will actually work to deepen that understanding.
If the student looks forward to a session, he/she is much more likely to benefit from that class. We all prefer to do activities that we enjoy rather than those we dread. It is the responsibility of the teacher, and even more that of the one on one tutor to make a subject fun.
The most important aspect of making a subject enjoyable is to praise the student's performance. When the student shows even a minimal understanding of the material a, "Hey that's great work!" from the tutor goes a long way.
On the other hand, a comment like, "That was a really stupid mistake," can leave the pupil feeling that he/she will never understand the subject. As a tutor, always try to praise your student even if you feel the praise is not entirely deserved.
4. STRATEGIES USING THE INTERESTS OF THE STUDENT
A teacher also has the responsibility of looking for strategies on how to make the subject interesting to a class. This is often difficult as there are 20 pupils with 20 different interests. Alternatively, the one on one tutor can get to know his student as an individual and find his/her areas of interest and then work on developing the material in a way that uses these interests.
For example, one way that math can be made interesting to many students is to look for real world applications. Of course, this works for many students but not for all of them.
When I was a child it was the artfully beautiful proofs in mathematics which gained my interest. The real world applications were always boring. It is the strength of one on one tutoring that the tutor can assess the pupil and work on the best method for that particular individual.

5.HOW CAN A TUTOR FIND OUT WHAT INTERESTS HIS STUDENT?
First off, he/she should shed the formality of the classroom. Even with my younger students, I prefer that they call me by my name, "Les" rather than the forbidding Mr. Belzer.
Second, simple questions about sports, hobbies, games, and computer activities can reveal a lot about the way a student thinks. Show the student that you are interested in his life and problems. If one is truly interested then a rapport is easy to establish.

Having a one on one tutor has many benefits to the student. By applying the above methods, a tutor can inspire their student to appreciate the material and stimulate in him or her a desire to improve their knowledge and thus improve their grades.