Any time that I am on a reading high, I have to share it with you. I am delighted to say that my reluctant reader is turning into an interested reader. Over the year, my son and I have sat together and read books aloud to each other. Personally, I have not always wanted to read aloud because I have a true passion for reading. However, my son seemed to welcome this interaction more rather than less.
Because of this change in reading behavior, the shift in him has been apparent (even if he won’t willingly admit it to me or the rest of the family). Collectively, we see it and embrace it. In addition, he and I have elevated our reading material to middle school books. He didn’t know it at the time. I mentioned it as an afterthought, and he was indeed floored and proud. He had no idea that we were pushing towards that direction.
Now my “reluctant turned interested” reader is connecting with key characters within our book selections. In The Underdogs by Mike Lupica, he felt Will Tyler’s pain as the organizer and running back of this football team when he landed on the one yard line for an unsuccessful touchdown and hurtful game loss. In the Ninth Ward by Jewel Parker Rhodes, he was drawn to the foresight and wisdom of Mama YaYa about Hurricane Katrina and the flood. Plus, he reeled in disbelief when Mama YaYa died. In Ungifted by Gordon Korman, he truly laughed and giggled foolishly over Donovan Curtis’ antics, wit, and impulsiveness. In another book by Gordon Korman, Schooled, he was fascinated by how Cap Anderson’s life operated without TV, electronics, pizza, and friends on his commune farm to a completely different life in the city with all of the above and then some.
So as you can see, I am excited about my son’s transformation and my own. This child has truly taught me a lesson in trying different tactics to engage him in the reading process. At this moment, it’s been valuable and worthwhile, and I realize how tweaking our reading plan worked.
Helen H. Kimbrough
Proud mom of a voracious reader and a "reluctant turned interested" reader
AK Classics
PO Box 77203
Charlotte, NC 28271
www.akclassicstories.com
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
After the Election: Practice Civility and Lead By Example
It saddens me to hear that kids are afraid of going to school or have been ostracized at school because of the results of this presidential election. In my mind, this is a form of bullying, and bullying cannot be tolerated!
A quote by Stephen Carter states, “Teaching civility is an obligation of the family,” and I agree. Therefore, it is my hope that parents will use the election process as a teachable moment to have an open dialogue with their children on the overall voting process, the three branches of government, the historical/current views of Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Independents, and the Tea Party, the impact of elected officials on the local, state, national and international levels, and respect for differences.
The election is over, and it’s time for this bickering to cease and for parents to lead by example for the sake of our children…our future!
A quote by Stephen Carter states, “Teaching civility is an obligation of the family,” and I agree. Therefore, it is my hope that parents will use the election process as a teachable moment to have an open dialogue with their children on the overall voting process, the three branches of government, the historical/current views of Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Independents, and the Tea Party, the impact of elected officials on the local, state, national and international levels, and respect for differences.
The election is over, and it’s time for this bickering to cease and for parents to lead by example for the sake of our children…our future!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween with Pete the Cat
Helen Kimbrough
AK Classics
PO Box 77203
Charlotte, NC 28271
www.akclassicstories.com
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Reading for the Reluctant Reader (Part II)
A few weeks ago, I wrote an article entitled, "Reading for the Reluctant Reader". This article sparked more interest than I anticipated, and more parents wanted to know about other ways to engage their son or daughter in reading. Thus, I have penned more options that I think will offer additional support. Here goes...
Book Club(s)
A book club is a fun and exciting way to exercise reading and comprehension, learn new words, and express opinions. Starting a book club is easy to form. Try the following:
• Have your child or school extend an invitation to seek participants.
• Pick reading materials that everyone can benefit from (ie. sequel or series books, Highlights Magazine, Sports books and journals, mysteries, drama, etc.) or ask potential members what books they are drawn to reading.
• Provide a fun activity based on the book or story. Participation is crucial within a book club and this is a way to get everyone to participate. Also, an activity will reinforce or provide knowledge. Activities can be word games, Pictionary, role playing, spoken word, and more.
• Decide on a designated time, place, and length of your book club. Make sure that it’s amenable to each participant and their parent(s) or guardian.
Battle of the Books
"Battle of the Books" is another way to promote and build reading skills. Check with your school's librarian about the "Battle of the Books" competition (which include State Award Titles). For elementary and middle schools, these competitions occur annually with local-area schools. So if your son or daughter likes to compete, this may be a good opportunity to win at reading!
Reading Apps
Reading apps bring excitement and enthusiam to reading. There are several that work on an IPad, IPhone, smart phones, and tablets. Plus, they can be easily downloaded! Scholastic has developed an app called Storia which allows one to download, read, and interact with books that have been selected by their reading experts. So download free stories and excercises! Hopefully, they will appeal to your son or daughter.
In closing, I have raised the stakes and have elevated this game called reading. May these options provide more insight and encourage your reluctant reader to grow, grow, grow!
Helen H. Kimbrough
Proud Mom of a voracious reader and a reluctant reader
Book Club(s)
A book club is a fun and exciting way to exercise reading and comprehension, learn new words, and express opinions. Starting a book club is easy to form. Try the following:
• Have your child or school extend an invitation to seek participants.
• Pick reading materials that everyone can benefit from (ie. sequel or series books, Highlights Magazine, Sports books and journals, mysteries, drama, etc.) or ask potential members what books they are drawn to reading.
• Provide a fun activity based on the book or story. Participation is crucial within a book club and this is a way to get everyone to participate. Also, an activity will reinforce or provide knowledge. Activities can be word games, Pictionary, role playing, spoken word, and more.
• Decide on a designated time, place, and length of your book club. Make sure that it’s amenable to each participant and their parent(s) or guardian.
Battle of the Books
"Battle of the Books" is another way to promote and build reading skills. Check with your school's librarian about the "Battle of the Books" competition (which include State Award Titles). For elementary and middle schools, these competitions occur annually with local-area schools. So if your son or daughter likes to compete, this may be a good opportunity to win at reading!
Reading Apps
Reading apps bring excitement and enthusiam to reading. There are several that work on an IPad, IPhone, smart phones, and tablets. Plus, they can be easily downloaded! Scholastic has developed an app called Storia which allows one to download, read, and interact with books that have been selected by their reading experts. So download free stories and excercises! Hopefully, they will appeal to your son or daughter.
In closing, I have raised the stakes and have elevated this game called reading. May these options provide more insight and encourage your reluctant reader to grow, grow, grow!
Helen H. Kimbrough
Proud Mom of a voracious reader and a reluctant reader
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Reading for the Reluctant Reader
Summer Reading is important for children. Statistics and reports state that children who read at least four to six books over the summer are more inclined to maintain or improve their reading levels once they return to school in the fall. For some children, reading over four books is not a challenge. However, for the reluctant reader, this task can be problematic.
Below, I have outlined several options for reluctant readers that may work and offer support:
· Have your child read books or reading materials that he or she can relate to. This content can consist of sports, comics, animals, fantasy, TV characters, or classic stories.
· Have your child draw or illustrate pictures from a story that he or she is reading. This activity enables a child to be creative and expressive. Plus, it promotes comprehension of a story.
· Have your child participate in a theatre program. Reading and reciting lines gives a child a fun way to read words, project words, and act out the words of a story. This is storytelling at its best for a child.
· Think about hiring a tutor or engaging a reading buddy to work on various reading activities. Depending on your child's motivation or needs, a tutor will offer more specialized services whereas a reading buddy will serve as a reading mentor.
· Read aloud and together. Some children just don't like to read alone. Therefore, a parent or guardian may need to be available to read during a specific time (at least 30 minutes) each day. So read a paragraph, a page, or a chapter, then have your child follow this pattern. If you commute or travel often, create games where words are involved like names of landmarks, streets, cities, or states beginning with a specific alphabet. Reading together is a worthwhile family treat.
Overall, the best advice that I can give from years of personal and professional experience is to find out what your child likes to read, and have him or her read it often. The goal is to read and to have fun reading. Enjoy!
Helen H. Kimbrough
Proud Mom of a voracious reader and a reluctant reader
AK Classics
PO Box 77203
Charlotte, NC 28271
http://www.akclassicstories.com/
*Follow me on Twitter @helenhk4 or become Facebook fans of Ocean Waves and Other Tales & Play Dates and Other Tales.
Below, I have outlined several options for reluctant readers that may work and offer support:
· Have your child read books or reading materials that he or she can relate to. This content can consist of sports, comics, animals, fantasy, TV characters, or classic stories.
· Have your child draw or illustrate pictures from a story that he or she is reading. This activity enables a child to be creative and expressive. Plus, it promotes comprehension of a story.
· Have your child participate in a theatre program. Reading and reciting lines gives a child a fun way to read words, project words, and act out the words of a story. This is storytelling at its best for a child.
· Think about hiring a tutor or engaging a reading buddy to work on various reading activities. Depending on your child's motivation or needs, a tutor will offer more specialized services whereas a reading buddy will serve as a reading mentor.
· Read aloud and together. Some children just don't like to read alone. Therefore, a parent or guardian may need to be available to read during a specific time (at least 30 minutes) each day. So read a paragraph, a page, or a chapter, then have your child follow this pattern. If you commute or travel often, create games where words are involved like names of landmarks, streets, cities, or states beginning with a specific alphabet. Reading together is a worthwhile family treat.
Overall, the best advice that I can give from years of personal and professional experience is to find out what your child likes to read, and have him or her read it often. The goal is to read and to have fun reading. Enjoy!
Helen H. Kimbrough
Proud Mom of a voracious reader and a reluctant reader
AK Classics
PO Box 77203
Charlotte, NC 28271
http://www.akclassicstories.com/
*Follow me on Twitter @helenhk4 or become Facebook fans of Ocean Waves and Other Tales & Play Dates and Other Tales.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Dr. Seuss: His Life and Legacy
Dr. Seuss is still one of my favorite children’s authors. I revel in his storytelling, use of rhyme, and engaging illustrations. As a kid, he made me want to pick up a book and read it. Even as an adult, I’m prone to pick up one of his books just for pure enjoyment or to quote lines from his stories to use in my presentations or on social media. His stories are long lasting and continue to give us guidance on reading, learning, education, and human issues.
For Dr. Seuss’ birthday, I decided to read more about who he was from the book, Who Was Dr. Seuss?, by Janet Pascal. This is what I learned:
• Seuss is Dr. Seuss’ middle name. His birth name is Theodor Seuss Geisel.
• Dr. Seuss learned verse and rhyme from his mom’s pie poems. (She owned a bakery and used poetry to remember her recipes.)
• Dr. Seuss’ favorite class in school was English. His classmates got a kick out of his stories and drawings.
• Dr. Seuss used networking as a tool to his advantage. His connections from his alma mater, Dartmouth, and his ability to forge relationships assisted in his success. Timing was essential too.
• Dr. Seuss illustrated ad campaigns and stories before he became an official writer. He learned that he could make more money doing both as the writer and illustrator.
• Dr. Seuss briefly worked in the film industry and won two Oscars.
• After delving into the newspaper, advertising, and film industries, Dr. Seuss decided that writing children’s books was most important to him. He noted, “The new generations must grow up to be more intelligent than ours.”
• Dr. Seuss became a “real” doctor when he received an honorary degree from Dartmouth. He was glad to make it official.
• Dr. Seuss wanted books to be fun, not dull. So he wrote The Cat in the Hat because cat and hat rhymed, and the kids loved it! Green Eggs and Ham derived from a bet. The challenge was to make the story just 50 words, and he did it!
• Dr. Seuss also wrote books on human issues and concerns. Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories discusses bullying and standing up for oneself. Sneetches and Other Stories talks about civil rights in the 1960s and accepting differences. The Lorax focuses on the environment and the “natural” world (the movie is showing now). My favorite, Oh, The Places You’ll Go, describes the adventures and challenges of life.
• Dr. Seuss was the first to receive the Pulitzer Prize as a children’s author for his contribution in children's literature.
I thank and honor Dr. Seuss on his accomplishments and achievements, and for doing it all “his” way (which at times were considered different and unacceptable). He kept pressing through to reach his goals, and he listened to the core of his being in proceeding ahead. For me, that’s inspiring! I hope it is for you too.
For Dr. Seuss’ birthday, I decided to read more about who he was from the book, Who Was Dr. Seuss?, by Janet Pascal. This is what I learned:
• Seuss is Dr. Seuss’ middle name. His birth name is Theodor Seuss Geisel.
• Dr. Seuss learned verse and rhyme from his mom’s pie poems. (She owned a bakery and used poetry to remember her recipes.)
• Dr. Seuss’ favorite class in school was English. His classmates got a kick out of his stories and drawings.
• Dr. Seuss used networking as a tool to his advantage. His connections from his alma mater, Dartmouth, and his ability to forge relationships assisted in his success. Timing was essential too.
• Dr. Seuss illustrated ad campaigns and stories before he became an official writer. He learned that he could make more money doing both as the writer and illustrator.
• Dr. Seuss briefly worked in the film industry and won two Oscars.
• After delving into the newspaper, advertising, and film industries, Dr. Seuss decided that writing children’s books was most important to him. He noted, “The new generations must grow up to be more intelligent than ours.”
• Dr. Seuss became a “real” doctor when he received an honorary degree from Dartmouth. He was glad to make it official.
• Dr. Seuss wanted books to be fun, not dull. So he wrote The Cat in the Hat because cat and hat rhymed, and the kids loved it! Green Eggs and Ham derived from a bet. The challenge was to make the story just 50 words, and he did it!
• Dr. Seuss also wrote books on human issues and concerns. Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories discusses bullying and standing up for oneself. Sneetches and Other Stories talks about civil rights in the 1960s and accepting differences. The Lorax focuses on the environment and the “natural” world (the movie is showing now). My favorite, Oh, The Places You’ll Go, describes the adventures and challenges of life.
• Dr. Seuss was the first to receive the Pulitzer Prize as a children’s author for his contribution in children's literature.
I thank and honor Dr. Seuss on his accomplishments and achievements, and for doing it all “his” way (which at times were considered different and unacceptable). He kept pressing through to reach his goals, and he listened to the core of his being in proceeding ahead. For me, that’s inspiring! I hope it is for you too.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Scholastic: A Rally To Raise Readers
Scholastic's motto is Read Every Day...Lead a Better Life. This organization has done a phenomenal job to impact literacy and reading for students and schools across the world. Please view the clip on their goal to "Raise Readers". The site is http://bcove.me/zqph6iub.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happy New Year: Establishing Family Goals
Happy New Year! It’s time to start afresh and anew for this new season. Are you ready to set goals and objectives with your family? Take a little time and see what everyone has on their agenda for the New Year. The purpose of establishing goals and objectives is to keep everyone accountable and to become better person overall.
When my boys were young (around the ages of 3-7), they were unsure about having meetings to discuss their goals. At the time, my kids couldn’t express their goals so I recommended goals for them. Their list was really short and sweet. As I recall, they had up to three goals to work with. For example, my oldest son, who was seven at the time, had to follow directions, listen more, and talk less. I think his goals stayed the same for at least 2 years. My youngest son’s goal, when he was 3 years old, was to use his words more. His brother did all the talking for him. Instead of pointing to something that he knew the word(s) for or waiting for his brother to chime in on his behalf, he would have to say the word(s) before he could receive it or retrieve it. So as you can see, these goals sort of worked hand in hand for a while…one son had to talk less while the other son had to talk more.
Over the years, my kids have learned to anticipate this annual meeting on New Year’s Day. As a family, we start thinking about our goals during the holidays. Plus, we revisit goals from the previous year to see if we achieved them or not. If they were not achieved, a reason is needed. (Gentle reminders are noted throughout the year too in reference to staying on task.)
As it stands, the individual goals that caught my eye this year for my family include Balance, Greater Respect and Consideration, Make A/B Honor Roll, Become More Efficient, Consistent, and Organized, Practice Sports during the Off Season, and Stop Crying When There is No Need. I love that last one, and I look forward to seeing it actualized!
Have a wonderful, safe, and prosperous New Year and enjoy establishing your family's goals (not resolutions) for the year!
When my boys were young (around the ages of 3-7), they were unsure about having meetings to discuss their goals. At the time, my kids couldn’t express their goals so I recommended goals for them. Their list was really short and sweet. As I recall, they had up to three goals to work with. For example, my oldest son, who was seven at the time, had to follow directions, listen more, and talk less. I think his goals stayed the same for at least 2 years. My youngest son’s goal, when he was 3 years old, was to use his words more. His brother did all the talking for him. Instead of pointing to something that he knew the word(s) for or waiting for his brother to chime in on his behalf, he would have to say the word(s) before he could receive it or retrieve it. So as you can see, these goals sort of worked hand in hand for a while…one son had to talk less while the other son had to talk more.
Over the years, my kids have learned to anticipate this annual meeting on New Year’s Day. As a family, we start thinking about our goals during the holidays. Plus, we revisit goals from the previous year to see if we achieved them or not. If they were not achieved, a reason is needed. (Gentle reminders are noted throughout the year too in reference to staying on task.)
As it stands, the individual goals that caught my eye this year for my family include Balance, Greater Respect and Consideration, Make A/B Honor Roll, Become More Efficient, Consistent, and Organized, Practice Sports during the Off Season, and Stop Crying When There is No Need. I love that last one, and I look forward to seeing it actualized!
Have a wonderful, safe, and prosperous New Year and enjoy establishing your family's goals (not resolutions) for the year!
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