by Stone Marshall | Mar 4, 2015 | parent-news |
The door into Jackie Ewasko’s second grade classroom at Gallaher Elementary should look familiar to anyone who’s checked out a DVD from a Redbox kiosk.
On a red background, the “Readbox” has pictures drawn by her students to illustrate a book they read. Next to each is a QR code which, when scanned with a smartphone or similar device, brings up a review the student wrote and links to websites and YouTube videos about the book.
The Readbox is the class’s entry in a door-decorating contest the school had as part of I Love to Read Month, a campaign to get students excited about reading.
“In my room, I really push how reading should be fun and enjoyable. I want them to explore all kinds of different books,” Ewasko said. “We talked about decorating our book for just one story, but everybody had different ideas. So we came up with something that said, hey, there’s a book for everybody!”
The door-decorating contest is only one of several events that have happened at Gallaher over the past few weeks. The school worked with Heifer International, a charity organization that provides animals to poverty and famine-stricken countries, and it’s “Read to Feed” program.
Students got “sponsors,” who pledged small amounts of money if kids read a certain amount. Students were able to pick certain animals out of a catalog and attempt to raise enough money to purchase one for a needy family.
The school invited two children’s authors, Jill Perry and Lynne Silber, to the school to talk with students about the books they wrote and read to them.
“We really wanted them to read, to write, to draw, to think and know that they can do it,” said school librarian Molly Keohane. “You don’t have to be somebody extraordinary to be successful.”
Delaware has been making a push over the past year or so to boost literacy for students, focusing especially on making sure students are reading at grade-level by the third grade.
If students aren’t reading as well as they should by that time, they will often have a much more difficult time understand class assignments and are more likely to get frustrated. In the short term, that leads to low grades and even behavioral problems, but in the long term it can mean dropping out of school.
Keohane said one of the best ways to do that is to continuously read to kids or, once they are able, have them read themselves and discuss what they learned.
“Children learn by communication. You have to talk to them,” she said. “They have to hear the language, hear the flow of words.”
And Ewasko said it’s important to let kids read for pleasure as well as school.
“If you only have them reading these texts for assignments, it sucks the joy out of it,” she said. “I want my students to have a love for learning and a love for reading, no matter kind it is.”
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by Stone Marshall | Mar 2, 2015 | parent-news |
The Spring Valley Public Library now has “Ten Shiny Snowflakes” and “The Creature in My Closet,” thanks to the people whose contributions are “suitable for hanging.”
The new additions to the library are tied to the programs and speakers at meetings of the Spring Valley Kiwanis, which has a mission of serving the children of the world.
“At the end of our Kiwanis meeting, the speaker of the day is asked to choose a book from the stage, where we have several books laid out,” explained Spring Valley Kiwanis Club member Nancy Cornell. The book is then donated in the speaker’s name to the Spring Valley Public Library.
The club holds a meeting each Wednesday noon at the Spring Valley Community Center, and often, there’s a guest speaker, be it someone who’s been on a mission trip to another country as a result of a sponsorship through the community or representatives of other organizations, outlining what they do and why or how they might work with the Kiwanis to make the world a better place. At the end of each presentation, the speaker receives a framed certificate from the Kiwanis as a token of appreciation – and the Kiwanians, having graduated from giving unframed certificates to framed ones, declare that the certificate is “suitable for hanging” and invite the speaker to choose from the stack of books on the stage after the meeting.
Cornell stated that her husband, Denis, also a Kiwanis member, then keeps track of the book until it is donated to the library.
“After the book is selected, Denny puts a label inside the front cover,” said Nancy. “The label says ‘Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley’ and ‘donated in appreciation of the program presentation by’ whoever happened to be presenting that day. We usually wait until we have 20 or so books and then either present to the librarian at a Kiwanis meeting or just take them to the library.”
Spring Valley Public Library director Jenny Simon was the program presenter of the day this past Wednesday, Feb. 18, and like others, she received a “suitable for hanging” certificate, but was also privileged to take a diverse stack of children’s books back to the library, including “Ten Shiny Snowflakes,” “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” “Middle School Get Me Out of Here,” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck,” “Kate the Great,” “The Creature in My Closet,” “Snowmen at Night, Disney’s “Frozen,” and “You Will Be My Friend,” among others.
As she accepted the books, she commented, “What a gift this is. I’m very excited to take these to the library. The kids always know when we get new books because they’re put on the top of the shelves and have a ‘new’ label on them. When the kids come with their parents, the new books are immediately gone, and we have to wait for them to come back in again so that everybody can read them. They definitely appreciate the new books.”
During her program at Kiwanis, she gave an update on the upcoming events at the library – including the children’s summer reading program, with a “Every Hero Has a Story” theme this year, and a trunk show featuring the book “Moo,” appearances by the author and illustrator and activities to accompany the event.
She also thanked the Kiwanis for their contributions to children’s literacy, reiterating that she is “very excited” to be able to offer new stories for the area’s eager small readers.
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by Stone Marshall | Mar 2, 2015 | Awesome Book News, parent-news |
As expected, YouTube today launched YouTube Kids for Android and iOS, described as a “family-friendly destination” and “the first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind.” You can download the new app for free, available only in the U.S., directly from Google Play and Apple’s App Store.
The app’s main selling point is that it only has content deemed appropriate for kids. In other words, the pitch to parents is very simple: This app will ensure that your kids can watch videos posted online without stumbling on clips you wouldn’t want them to see.
YouTube Kids Screenshot
The Google-owned company explains the app is designed to make it safer and easier for children to find videos on topics they want to explore. It is also a much more simplified and basic app (larger images, bold icons, and built-in voice search for those who have yet to learn how to type or even spell) compared to the main YouTube experience, though it still features videos, channels, and playlists.
There’s also a content focus for early literacy, including science and math tutorials, though YouTube stops short from calling it an educational tool. The parental controls include a timer for watch time (even if the content is filtered, you presumably don’t want your kid watching videos all day), as well as options to turn off background sounds and the search function (limiting viewing to just the pre-selected videos available on the home screen).
YouTube Kids App Icon
If the search is turned off, the main way to find videos is to browse the channels and playlists, which are organized into four categories: Shows, Music, Learning, and Explore. As for the actual content itself, YouTube promises videos from DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV, Mother Goose Club, Talking Tom and Friends, National Geographic Kids, Reading Rainbow, and Thomas the Tank Engine.
It’s too early to gauge whether YouTube Kids will take off. YouTube says that “the possibilities are as endless as a child’s curiosity” but at the end of the day, it comes down to what parents think. They have to download the app, block or delete the main YouTube app, and then encourage their kids to use YouTube for Kids.
We’ve heard for a long time that Google is working on apps aimed at children. Indeed, the company not only says that “this is the first step toward reimagining YouTube for families” but that this is “our first building block in tech for tykes.”
In short, you can expect more Google apps and services aimed squarely at the youngest generation. It’s no secret in the tech industry that if you get them while they’re young, they may just use your products for life.
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by Stone Marshall | Mar 1, 2015 | parent-news |
On Friday, we asked dancers how high their expectations were for Thon 2015. With optimism, most students responded that they will be able to push through the 46 hours of no sitting and no sleeping.
READ: Dancer prep for Thon 2015: ‘I know I’m going to make it, I just don’t know how.’
Now, with the final four hours approaching, walk out on the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center and you’ll see friends giving dancers piggy back rides, Dancer Relations captains wiping the tears from dancer’s cheeks and people mouthing words because they’ve lost their voice.
So we asked the dancers, “What has kept you going?”
Our first pair of dancers are best friends, and have been leaning on each other for support. Lauren Powers and Laura McAndrews, both of Yardley, Pa., say they knew it was going to be tough when they started.
Powers spoke for her and McAndrews, who had completely lost her voice. She said t
he cheery environment of the Bryce Jordan Center has kept their spirits high. Being able to dance with her best friend has helped “time to fly.” But in the end, it’s all been a mental game.
“You can prepare all you want,” Powers said. “But it’s all mental.”
For dancer Joseph Almato, of Bucks County, Pa., not knowing the time has helped him stay somewhat sane, he said.
“I’ve been catching myself falling asleep while standing and talking to people,” Almato said. But he “wakes up” every hour to do the line dance, which he has apparently perfected.
WATCH: Learn the Thon 2015 line dance
Dancer Nick Danforth, of Beverly, Ma. told us that about an hour ago, he felt like he “was going to die.”
“I was actually terrified going into it,” Danforth said. “The expectations where high. But there have been moments where I’m at my lowest, and little things keep me going. I got a letter from my brother that made me cry. He said there’s a much greater cause at stake, and he knew standing for 46 hours wouldn’t keep me down.”
Other dancers, like Danielle Diguglielmo of Newtown, Pa., said they feel better than they thought they would. But, she’s disappointed that her friends haven’t been able to make it on to the floor.
“The biggest struggle is probably the pass system,” Diguglielmo said. “It hasn’t been functioning and it’s disappointing when you
‘re expecting to see people.”
On Friday, Jordan Margolis of Monroeville, Pa., told us, “I know I’m going to make it, I just don’t know how.”
When we caught up with her today, Margolis said it hasn’t been easy. But like she said, she’s going to make it.
“There have definitely been highs and lows,” Margolis said. “The lows are exhausting and delirious. But if you stop then everything stops. We’re so close now. The kids don’t give up, so why should we?”
The dancers can sit when Thon officially ends at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015.
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by Stone Marshall | Mar 1, 2015 | parent-news |
Let’s face it – reading affects every area of our lives. If kids struggle with reading, it is highly likely they will struggle in other areas of their academic life too. Parents can influence kids to form better reading habits and help them become better readers. Check out these five tips to inspire your kids to love reading:
1. Read with your kids. Parent involvement is the number one predictor of early childhood reading success and future academic achievement. Kids learn from parental modeling. Starting a daily reading ritual for pre-kindergarten kids is vital for developing a child’s love for reading. Kids who own 100 or more books tend to be more ready to tackle academic challenges.
Using books with pop outs help stimulate imagination and make reading fun. Before getting started, read the title and ask your child to make a prediction of what the story is about. Point to words and pictures as you read to helps kids make the correlation between the story and the illustrations. Read with enthusiasm and energy by changing pitch and intonation to punctuate the story and character’s voice. Follow up each story by asking questions to ensure they understood the story and can relate it to another story or personal experience. The love of reading is partially developed by relating stories to real life.
2. Set technology limits. Set a predetermined amount of time for kids to plug in to technology (including TV) each day. Replace TV and gaming time with daily reading rituals by scheduling reading time for your kids each day. Reading on an e-reader is good, but be sure kids have an appreciation for traditional books too. Shared reading time with the family as well as individual reading time reinforces good reading habits. Reading with good comprehension sets kids up for success in all of their other subjects like social studies, math and science.
3. Help kids create a reading list. It’s important to keep your child’s reading level in mind when helping him choose a good book to read. Use your intuition when asking him questions about what he wants to learn about, who he’d like to meet or what he wants to be when he grows up. All of these things make a good list of things to read about.
For infants and toddlers, choose books with bright colorful pictures and familiar objects. Cardboard or washable fabrics prevent little hands from getting too excited and ripping pages. Books that appeal to their senses and explore different textures will be fast favorites. Poems and rhymes are fun for parents to recite over and over again.
Preschoolers love illustrations that are colorful and engaging. Short stories that have simple plots and actions to follow will hold their short attention spans. Stories that are about everyday life can help them explore their world and stories about how things work will help them learn new concepts. Characters that are about the same as age as your child will help him relate to the character and take an interest in the story line.
Choosing books for young readers, up to age 11, take on a new dimension. They enjoy stories that take several days to read. They also like to read more in-depth versions of their childhood favorites. They still enjoy illustrations and photos, especially in how-to books. By this time, your child may have developed favorite authors, so reading other books in a series by the same author is a good strategy.
Adolescents like to read books with characters that are facing similar teen related challenges in their lives. Novels that take them to faraway places and times can foster their love for science fiction or history. Biographies, folktales and mythology can be good options too.
4. Set content guidelines. It is totally fitting for parents to monitor what their kids read. Just like television and movies, it is reasonable to consider that parents wouldn’t want their kids to engage in books with vulgar language, sex, violence or drugs. It is also important to only allow kids to read material that is age appropriate.
5. Screen for learning disabilities like dyslexia. Kids who don’t like to read typically don’t have good reading skills. This could be because reading wasn’t part of their early childhood experience, therefore, they don’t appreciate the value reading could have in their lives. It is important for parents to delve deeper into the reasons their kids don’t like to read.
If kids find reading boring, it could be that they only read school assignments that don’t tap into their interests. Finding books that are more in alignment with their hobbies or interest might help them enjoy reading more.
Some kids find reading difficult or tedious. That is could be related to how they learned to read. Check in with his teacher and see if there are learning disabilities like dyslexia involved or if a tutor could help get them up to speed. Poor reading skills can lead to kids falling behind in school at not liking school.
Kids like to know that things are relevant to their lives and some kids haven’t made the correlation between books and real life. Finding books that tie into their hobbies, interests or aspirations can help improve their interest in reading.
Reading opens up new worlds for kids. Stories can take their imaginations to foreign lands and spark an interest in travel, culture and adventure. Reading biographies can provide positive role models and inspire kids to excel in sports, academics and service. Give your kids the gift of reading by making it fun and exciting.
Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2015/02/23/5533473/5-ways-to-inspire-kids-to-love.html#.VOw5oy5jGVA#storylink=cpy
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by Stone Marshall | Feb 26, 2015 | parent-news |
Win a library contest; get a trip to the bookstore.
JoAnn Hickman got herself a $10 Barnes & Noble gift certificate with her victory in the Rowlett Public Library’s Edible Book Contest.
And the irony of sending a library patron to a book store wasn’t lost on Library Services Director Kathy Freiheit.
“Book lovers, we want to reward them,” Freiheit said. “These bibliophiles, they just love books from all sources. Maybe she will go get a coffee and book we don’t have.”
Hickman won with a cake decorated to recreate the cover of “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown. Her entry was selected in competition with four others by 43 library patrons who made their choices based on photos of the entries.
“Talented bakers and candy makers showcased their skills and knowledge of books by creating tasty creations to celebrate ‘Love your Library!’ [Month] in February,” Freiheit said, noting the popular display was up for two weeks.
Justin Orchard submitted a cake decorated with Peeps to recreate a scene from a “Minecraft” book.
A candy entry from Rylan Ramirez represented the young adult book “Superfudge” by Judy Blume with the word “super” spelled out in fudge.
Otto Torrens recreated the green goo from Stephen King’s “Tommyknockers” with a mix of lime gelatin (or pistachio pudding), Oreo cookie crumble, Cool Whip topping and marshmallows.
And Brandon Gan used gelatin and icing to produce a book cover design for “Pilgrim at Tinker Creek” by Annie Dillard.
The “Love your Library” month contest culminated with a party on Valentine’s Day.
“There are many reasons for loving your library – personal enjoyment, intellectual stimulation, children’s books and activities, research materials for school, home or work, free WiFi and public computers for Internet access, and the Internet, and more,” Freiheit said. “One of the best gifts parents can give their children is a love of reading, the foundation for a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.”
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