Snow Day Heaven!

The best snow day ever? Building the "perfect" snow fort, starting a snowball fight with the neighborhood kids, retreating (thank goodness for the snow fort), sledding until the sun sets, coming inside to warm up with hot chocolate and, finally, after an exhausting day, snuggling up with a good book by the fireplace.  We hope you make the most of the holiday break: relax, play, enjoy family and friends, but don't forget to explore some good books as well.

Did you know that research overwhelmingly supports the idea that the amount of time that a student spends reading makes a big difference?  The more reading and being read to, the better.  This doesn't come as a big surprise, but to see the data spelled out is compelling.

If a child reads for 65 minutes a day, after a year's time they've read over 4,350,000 words, but the child averaging 1 minute per day has only read 106,000 words. 

Average Minutes of Reading Per Day	Baseline - Words read per year
65	4,358,000
21	1,823,000
14.2	1,146,000
9.6	622,000
3.2	200,000
1.8	106,000

You may ask, 'So what? Does this increase in volume affect comprehension?'  You bet it does!  On average those students who read more do better and those who read less struggle more.

National Percentile Rank	Average Minutes of Reading Per Day	Baseline - Words read per year
98	65	4,358,000
90	21	1,823,000
80	14.2	1,146,000
70	9.6	622,000
40	3.2	200,000
30	1.8	106,000

 So, pile it on and discover some great books over the break.

Reagan Staff Recommendations-- Holiday Books

Mrs. Ashcraft recommends:
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens

This short novel about a miserly, miserable old man and his change of heart is a Christmas tradition in my family. Who can forget the wise counsel of Ebenezer Scrooge, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the past , present and future.” A Christmas Carol is a wonderful read aloud book for children of all ages.

Mr. Pratt and Mrs. Reeves recommend:
The Christmas Miracle of Jonathon Toomey

by Susan Wojciechowski

This inspiring story tells how an old woodcarver's heart is softened at Christmas.  It is a great story for all ages -- even Grandma and Grandpa will enjoy it.  The illustrations are beautiful.


 

Mrs. Peterson recommends:

Mr. Willoughby's Christmas Tree

by Robert Barry

Mr. Willoughby's tree is too big. Now what? With fun rhymes, whimsical illlustrations, and a good message, this is a great read aloud choice. (In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this book is read to students in the library during the last week of school before the break.)

Mrs. Jenni recommends:
Christmas in the Trenches
by John McCutcheon
This is a picture book that tells the story of a Christmas Eve during WWI when the German and English Soldiers stopped fighting and sang, "Silent Night."  It’s very touching and I can’t read it without crying.  Not only does it teach our children about a true historical event, it teaches acceptance of all people, regardless of where they’re from.

Mr. Pratt and Miss Plant recommend: 
Snowmen at Night

by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner

This fun book lets you in on the secret about a snowman's life when we all go to sleep.  No wonder they look a little disheveled in the  morning!  The illustrations have hidden images for readers to try to find.  Fun for all ages!

Mrs. Jenni and Mrs. Fox recommend:

The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever

by Barbara Robinson

This short chapter book is warm and funny and full of surprises.--a classic for family read aloud.  This might be a fun one to listen to together in the car if you are driving somewhere for the holidays.

Mrs. Laraway recommends:

Ben's Christmas Carol

by Toby Forward
One good work inspires another.  Based on Dickens' The Christmas Carol, this is the story of a stingy mouse who learns to give. The haunting and beautiful illustrations depict both Dicken's story of Scrooge as well as the mouse's story. 

Mrs. Mylar (who was Mrs. Sonne last month) recommends:

The Polar Express

by Chris Van Allsburg
A boy takes a magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. "My mother read this book to us every Christmas Eve.  It is now one of my favorites."

Mrs. Westerman recommends:
Olivia helps with Christmas
by Ian Falconer
Olivia tries hard to help the family get ready for Christmas. If you know Olivia you know you can expect some mishaps along the way. Fans of Falconer will not be disappointed by this festive book.

Mrs. Laraway recommends:
The Little Drummer Boy

by Ezra Jack Keats
I love Ezra Jack Keats.  As always, his illustrations make the text come alive.  Read or sing along as you look at the pictures. 



Mrs. Fox recommends:
The Christmas Box
by Richard Paul Evans
You might need tissues nearby when you read this popular modern classic. A short novel about parental love, healing, and Christmas, this could be read aloud with older kids or good for curling up and reading alone by the fireplace.

Mr. Riggs recommends:

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

by Dr. Seuss

No Christmas book list is complete without this classic.  It is fun for the whole family. From, "Every who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot " to the final, "and he, he Himself, the Grinch, carved the roast beast."  Perfect.

Share your own favorites by making a comment below!

'Twas Weeks Before Christmas

Holiday traditions make the season memorable and exciting for kids.  It is easy to make reading and writing a part of these traditions.  (Make a comment below to share your own reading/writing Christmas traditions. You can always post anonymously if you want.) 

Here are some suggestions from Reagan Academy staff:

• Every year, since our kids were small, "Santa's book elf" has left a present wrapped under the Christmas tree.  It is always a Christmas book.  We now have a good collection of books that stay boxed up with the Christmas decorations all year long.  During December, the books are kept in a basket by the tree. As we read and reread and reread these books all month long, it is like some old friends have come to visit.
• My brothers and sisters live all over the country.  We have the tradition of sending each other children's books in the mail for Christmas.  We've gotten a lot of good books this way.  One of my favorites was Enemy Pie by Derek Munson.
• We aren't Jewish, but we like to teach our children about different cultures.  Last year on the first day of Hanukkah we read a book together about this Jewish holiday.  We lit candles and made latkes for dinner and we even played with a dradle. 
• We always go to the public library after Thanksgiving and check out lots of Christmas picture books.  They have a great collection and it is a fun way to get us all in the mood for Christmas. 
• This year we are starting a new tradition.  Our family is going to go to a local bookstore and pick out a few favorite picture books.  We are then going to buy them, wrap them and donate them to the local women and children's shelter.
• Our children are grown up now, but when they were little they wrote a letter to Santa every year.  We photocopied them before putting them in the mail and kept them in a file.  Last year I compiled them together and gave the copies to my kids.  They loved seeing how their wish lists (and handwriting) changed throughout the years. It was really fun.

Tell us your family's favorite holiday book by making a comment below.  We'll put the recommendations in an upcoming post on holiday book favorites.

Owning your own book

With December coming, you can guess what we recommend as a great gift for your children . . . books, of course! 

Did you know that research suggests that the very act of owning books can influence a child's reading ability? In a study of Israeli students, high achieving students on average owned 10 times more books than low achieving students.

In another study, researchers gave 852 disadvantaged students 12 books yearly.  After doing this for three consecutive years they found that students who brought the books home had significantly higher reading scores than other students. In fact, just having those 12 books seemed to have as much positive effect as attending summer school.

In a NY Times article* about the above study, David Brooks quoted a philanthopist who regularly gives books to disadvantaged kids:

It’s not the physical presence of the books that produces the biggest impact, she suggested. It’s the change in the way the students see themselves as they build a home library. They see themselves as readers . . .

At Reagan Academy we hope to create a whole school of children that see themselves as readers! 

It doesn't have to cost a lot to buy a book.  Add a book to the presents under the tree or maybe Santa can stuff one in a stocking or give a gift card to Borders (kids love to use their own plastic card!) --whatever you do, try to add books to your gift giving traditions.  (Holiday traditions will be our next post in fact!)  In your search for a good book, don't forget this week's Scholastic book fair! (Dec. 6th-10th)

*Click here to read the NY Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/opinion/09brooks.html?_r=2 

"Are we there yet?"

Are you planning to go "over the river and through the woods" during the Thanksgiving break?  One fun and memorable way to pass the hours while traveling is reading a book aloud or listening to an audiobook.

Did you know that the listening comprehension of most children exceeds their reading comprehension?  What this means is that although your 1st grader may not be ready to actually read a book like Charlotte's Web, they may be ready to listen to one. When you listen to a good book you enjoy the same benefits as when you read a good book, but listening frees you to take in the scenery while traveling and you can do it together as you go.

The results may surprise you.  For instance, a teacher shared the following story: 

One year I started reading The Voyages of Dr. Doolittle aloud to my children while on a long trip.  As I was reading I worried, 'Is this too strange or old-fashioned for everybody? Is my four year old understanding this language?' To my surprise, when we stopped to get gas and stretch our legs all the kids begged, "Can we stay in the car and keep reading?" 

There are so many interesting possibilities out there!  The public library has lots of audiobooks.  Ask the librarian to recommend a favorite.  You can also download books from many sources online such as  (http://www.audible.com/cat?node=2239696011 or http://www.theaudiobookstore.com/?KID=3966740&gclid=CJm4x43DtKUCFQN7gwodpTGVaA. )   At this site you'll find a fun list of recommended audio titles for kids (http://www.travelsavvymom.com/blog/resources/the-best-audio-books-for-kids/).  At Reagan Academy we have the Jim Weiss CDs for parents to checkout.  Many of you may remember when storyteller Jim Weiss came to Reagan Academy.  He is funny and engaging.  These compilations are a good option for the first time audio listener.

You may be thinking, "This sounds great, but my kids are already used to watching DVDs while we travel.  How can a book compete with that?"  Well, perhaps the kids are ready for a change or maybe you need to work a little magic.  One teacher suggested that you could start out driving when suddenly . . .  "Oh no!  We've packed the DVD under the suitcases in the trunk!  Hey,  I've got the audiobook of Harry Potter instead.  Let's try this."  Another family has a travel rule, you can watch a DVD only after an hour with a book.  Sometimes after that hour of listening to a book, they'll want to keep listening and save the DVD until another time.  Whatever you do, make sure that listening/reading is fun and enjoyable and doesn't feel like a punishment.

What audio books has your family enjoyed?  What tips or tricks can you recommend?  Post a comment and share your experiences, recommendations, and ideas.

To those of you traveling -- have a safe trip!

Ideas for reading goals

We'll be blogging about these in the coming months:

• Read aloud as a family
• Read daily to young children
• Go to the public library regularly
• Establish rules about TV watching and video games
• Listen to audio books in the car
• Talk about books during family dinners
• Establish a family quiet time for reading
• Expand a family library
• Make sure that kids have a bookshelf in their bedroom

The two puzzle pieces

In general, learning to read well involves two pieces of a puzzle.

1. A child must be taught to read.  This includes learning phonics, fluency, comprehension strategies and critical thinking skills.  These are things teachers take seriously.  Reagan Academy teachers work hard to ensure that students are taught reading skills on their level and are continually progressing towards becoming better and better readers.
2. A child must be read to often and read and read and read and read.  It is this frequent experience of cuddling up with a good book daily that creates "a reader."

When it comes to this second puzzle piece what you do (and don't do) at home makes an enormous difference in the education of our students.  We have excellent families at Reagan Academy and we can tell that many of you do outstanding things with your children at home.  Thank you!

As a part of the Reagan Reads campaign we encourage every family to set a goal that builds on what they are already doing at home to become readers and enthusiastic learners.  (See the next blog entry for some possible goals that you might set.)

Why do we care about what happens at home?  Because we really care about student learning and we recognize the powerful influence of partnering with parents to help students learn all that they can.  For instance, one of the foremost indicators of a successful reader is the mere amount of time spent reading. (We will post research about this in future blogs.)  On this front we can only do so much at school.

How much time would you guess children spend at school yearly?  At Reagan Academy we get almost 1000 hours per year with your children. We do our best to use that time wisely. Those 1000 hours are used to teach reading, writing, math, history, geography, art, music, discipline, physical education, library and citizenship.  It is also spent going to recess and lunch and assemblies and field trips and fire drills and state testing. 

How much time does that leave? After taking out time for sleeping, students spend about 4700 hours outside of school every year.  Certainly that time is filled up with lots of relevant activities, but the parent who says, “Reading and learning is for school, not at home,” misses vital opportunities that all students need to learn and progress adequately.  (Sadly, they are also missing out on lots of fun too!) At the end of the year, school time alone is just not enough time to build “a reader". 

What is the bottom line?  Make sure that you find time at home when your kids can read and you can read with them. It makes a big difference!