Reading: Mrs. Bast

Even as an adult reader, there are times when I am reading a story and I get lost and I’m not sure what has happened. Fortunately, when this happens, I have strategies I use to help me understand the story. The same thing happens when children read. However, some children often keep reading and do not realize they lost comprehension until the end of the story. They are too concerned with reading accurately, and forget to take the time to think about what they are reading. How can we help them gain comprehension? We can teach them the comprehension strategy: Check for Understanding because good readers stop frequently to check for understanding to ask who and what.

How can you help your child with this strategy at home?

1. When reading to your child, stop periodically and say, “Let’s see if we remember what I just read. Think about who the story was about and what happened.” Do this 3 or 4 times throughout the story.

2. When reading to your child, stop and have them practice checking for understanding by telling you who you just read about and what was happening.

3. Ask your child the following questions:

• Who did you just read about?
• What just happened?
• Do you understand what was read?
• What do you do it you don’t remember?

Thanks for your continued support at home!

If you are a dad of a wonderful child at Georgetown and have been wondering how you can get into school during the school day, we have the opportunity for you!  Jeff Wressell has organized a program that will help DAD’s have a volunteer presence in our school.   The volunteer group, called D.E.S.K (Dad’s Empowering Super Kids) will kick off with our Bustin’ Through Books program.  The philosophy of DESK can be found here:  Dad’s Vol Program

Please consider participating in this opportunity!  We would love to have you participate and be present in the school.

To find out more about the program, visit BUSTIN’ THROUGH BOOKS.

To volunteer, complete this survey:  DADs WHO BUST THROUGH BOOKS

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On February 2, we begin to devote a portion of every day to focused time for reading.  This will be called BUST THROUGH BOOKS BOOT CAMP.

We need your help to get this up and running!  You can help in three different ways:

1.  If you are a DAD, volunteer to spend a day running our boot camp.  It’s easy…and fun.  Requirements:  Sign Up by clicking on this form; Wear Comfy Clothes; Bring your reading material (work and just for fun); SHOW UP WITH A SMILE, sense of humor and your books.  Jeff Wressell, Lily’s Dad, will be heading up the volunteer list.

2.  Donate $1.00 to your child’s classroom.  The money will go toward buying timers and bean bags.  Write:  BUST THROUGH BOOKS on your envelope, along with your child’s name and classroom.  (We will also take used vinyl bean bags and timers)

3.  Donate any well loved books from your home.  We have students who love to learn about non-fiction topics.  If you have any books on the topics listed below, please donate them to our program.  Books can be dropped off in the library with the incredible, wonderful Mrs. VandenBerg!

Ever since my three children were little, we have allowed them to open their Christmas stockings as soon as they got up on Christmas morning. We usually put in a small toy, a chocolate Santa, and a book! As they sprawled out with their books, we had some quiet moments to get the coffee started and wake up a little before the busy day began. If you’re looking for some books to engage your beginning readers (and give you some quiet moments of your own!) here are some favorites that they have been enjoying at school…

Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!!!

We would like to thank our wonderful Parent Club for financing our school’s subscription to Raz-Kids. This is a great interactive website which allows students to listen to and/or read books at their just right level. We tried out this program over the summer and it was a big hit! Look for information coming home after Christmas from your child’s classroom teacher.

Parents often wonder what gift they could give to their child that would last a long time and be meaningful. I have three ideas for you as you’re wandering up and down the aisles with glazed eyes.

1. Bookshelf: get a bookshelf that you paint together and fill with books! Go to your local library to pick out a wide variety of books. Every child should have their own library card, encouraging a lifetime habit of reading. Many children also enjoy their very own magazines. Sports Illustrated for Kids, American Girl, Ranger Rick, Your Big Backyard are just a few titles that kids love.

2. Booklight: buy a clip-on light that your child can use while reading in bed. As an added incentive, make an agreement with your child that he/she can stay up a few extra minutes if the time is spent reading in bed.

3. Book Time: this one doesn’t cost anything and can be done with you. Establish a daily time that everyone in the family is reading. Start small with 10-15 minutes and increase gradually. Make sure that there is a stack of books nearby for everyone to access. This can be a time to read the newpaper or magazine, look though picture books, or silently read chapter books. The most important thing is that you are all in the same room, enjoying the world of reading!

Happy Reading!

The Speakaboo website is worth bookmarking. Stories are read and performed by celebrities with illustrations and music. The intriguing feature that is still to come is their Record Your Own stories or songs. We can foresee guest readers who are parents, grandparents, aunts or uncles of your students, recording favorite stories for them to listen to in class or at home. And it is free!

http://www.speakaboos.com/recordYourOwn

I have heard that two heads are better than one. Maybe it’s true… I will be able to listen to two kids read at a time or even drink and eat at the same time! I’ve been hunting for the perfect helper, and here is the answer right in front of my nose. Or is it next to my nose? Happy November Scavenger Hunt!

I have loaded a great leveling tool to our blog that will help you level your books at home…and find books that at the just right level for your reader.

Go to the page link above, Book Leveling Help, to use this new tool.