KindergartenRocks.Us

Your children have grown, so much as readers this year.  At the beginning of the year, they could not sit and listen to a whole book, but now they are pros.  Not only can they sit quietly and listen, but they also can talk intelligently to their neighbors about the books I am reading aloud.  Trelease is right listening is an art that doesn’t happen overnight.  Remember this when you are reading aloud and your little one has the wiggles.

Let your child “read” you the story.  If a child has heard a story multiple times, they can tell you the story probably better than you might think.  The more expression you put into the story, the more entertaining it will be to hear them retell the story to you.

Most of all, remember that read aloud time is a special quiet and fun few moments that you are spending with your child.  There are not many ways to mess that up!

Happy Reading!

Each day I read many different books to your children.  We have a time of the day called interactive read aloud where your children hear and discuss with their partners quality literature.  During this time of the day, we have a weekly focus.  Sometimes it centers around comprehension or plot, and sometimes it focuses on skills like inference or visualization.  There is another time of the day in which your children get to choose a book from a bucket called favorites.  These books are simply our class favorites.  The books we could literally hear everyday.  (Yes, I have read Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus about thirty times this year!)

All of this information is to tell you that I have to (get to) hear some of the same books over and over again.  Sometimes this can be draining as an adult, but I am amazed that no matter how many times I read  Shiver Me Letters in my best pirate voice the children are enthralled.  It is as if they are hearing the book for the very first time.  Trelease says that this immerses them in language, as well as building their self-esteem.  He is also quick to point out that outside experiences also help build language.  Pairing an experience with a book is quite powerful and would be an awesome way to help your little ones continue learning throughout the summer.

Reading aloud does not have to stop when your child reaches upper elementary, middle school, or even high school.  I love the suggestion of reading aloud to your teenager as he or she does the dishes.  Books are one of the most powerful tools  that which we can expose our children.  Books can meet the needs of so many different kinds of people.  I am struck by the book mentioned by Trelease called I Hear America Reading:  Why We Read, What We Read.  This book is amazing and worth picking up at your local bookstore.  The letters are powerful and inspiring.

I hope this chapter spurs you on to continue reading aloud to your little ones no matter how old they are!

Although Eric Carle has put ladybugs on the map for being grouchy, ladybugs are quite helpful creatures.  These tiny creatures eat many even smaller bugs that plague gardens of every kind. Ladybugs are actually better named “lady beetles” because ladybugs are beetles. And no, not all ladybugs are girls.

We have begun an in depth study of ladybugs this week in our classroom.  This study will last until our ladybug eggs reach maturity.  That’s right ladies and gentlemen, we will be growing ladybugs in our classroom.  I know that perhaps I have gone off the deep end, but I know this adventure will pay in dividends.  By the end of our study, my students will have seen first hand the life cycle of another living thing.  They will get to care for these fragile creatures as they mature.  They will also get to find a good home for the adult ladybugs for whom we have cared. But most importantly they will understand that no, not all ladybugs are girls.

I can’t remember a time in my life when I was not reading. From the time I was a very young child, my mother read to me. I fondly remember her reading the House at Pooh Corner to me with all of the voices. By the time I began school, I had many books memorized. I am sure that some of you have had similar experiences, or you have experienced this through your children. Those experiences have turned me into an avid reader. My husband and friends will tell you that I have read so many books that they often come to me for book recommendations. I long to read more, but of course life gets in the way, which is one of the many reasons being a teacher rocks! I have all summer to read. I would not be the person I am today without my love for reading. Who started this love affair? My mother did.

Jim Trelease shows us in his book, The Read Aloud Handbook, that we all have to power to inspire that kind of love for the written word just by exposing our children to wonderful literature. It is never too late to read aloud to our children and to discuss literature. I read to your children all day long in every subject of the day. Everyday your child hears at least 4 books a day at school. You could continue that just by reading aloud to your children. Trelease says that you are your children’s “superhero.” “With great power comes great responsibility!”

This weekend is our first online discussion of The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Over the years, this very popular book for parents on the basics of reading aloud has been updated several times. In fact, I believe some of you may have the latest edition which hit stores quite recently. I am sure he has added a few of my favorite picture books to the treasury at the back of the book. The book is worth the price for the treasury alone. Many parents have a difficult time guiding their children to choose quality literature that piques the interests of their wee one. The treasury is an invaluable resource to calm any squabbles that may arise at the bookstore or library.

I hope that you took the time to read the introduction to this wonderful book, as well as the first chapter. You will notice that this book is easy to read, but there is so much information in every section that I find myself learning something new every time I reread it. The introduction is especially powerful to me because I am in awe of just how blessed I am. My children and probably most of yours, don’t have to worry about the things that children in poverty do. You may even read to your child often already. I hope by the end of this study that you will understand better how important reading aloud is. I hope you will begin to monitor your children’s technology time, but we will get to that later! =)

I love where Trelease says that the only skills you need for kindergarten are a rich vocabulary. How does the vocabulary of a young child become enriched? Through exposure to rich vocabulary, of course! Books give that vocabulary! Varied experiences, such as trips to the grocery store and zoo, also develop a rich vocabulary. Family discussions of daily happenings may enrich vocabulary, too. A child who knows words, loves words!

This chapter also reminds me of the beliefs behind the rich literacy program in place in Mesquite ISD. Self-selected reading and read aloud are a daily part of your child’s education. I am so excited to be a part of a district that bases its practices in good research!

I thought you all could post a comment on what two things were most powerful to you as parents from this chapter.

I hope you are enjoying this book!

The most important word one know is his or her own name.  It is vital that every child know how to read and write his or her name.  Not only do we read and write it, but we also play with it.  I help students use their name as a jumping off point into the land of the literate.  We count letters and beats in our names.  We compare our names with other names.  We decorate, paint,  and type our names.  We even make our names out of play dough.  Kindergarten, where everybody knows your name, and their always glad you came!

The first and second days have come and gone.  The first week is always so hectic, but we are starting to settle into a routine already.  Miraculously, there were only a couple of criers on the first day.  All of the tears worked themselves out before the second day.  It usually takes a full three to four weeks to adjust to the full day of academic activities.  I frequently hear reports from parents of exhausted children falling asleep on the ride home.  Kindergarten is not how you may remember it.  We work hard all day long, and at the end of the year each child seems to be very different. =)

Sometimes letting go of your precious child is difficult. My goal is to keep the home and school families connected through this blog. Each day (or as close to daily as possible) you will get a unique view into the happenings of our classroom. Through stories and pictures, I hope to ease the transition from home to school and show you why kindergarten is the place to be.