Summer

Post 168

Summer is here! Or it almost is depending on where you live. 😀 That’s definitely a good thing. You and your little student have navigated the year and hopefully, have both come out smarter at the end of it. You…on how to encourage and help your child learn and your little one…educationally and socially more secure.

So what to do over the long months ahead? They stretch out like a golden path in front of both of you. Should you let your child do nothing after such a long year or should they be scheduled with something to do every minute? Obviously, the answer lies somewhere in between those two extremes.

There are lots of options. Camps, especially those geared towards special interests such as science, animals, dance, art, etc. are great. If that seems too much a lot of school districts offer recreation day camps that are free and children can show up on a day to day basis. Or maybe this is the time to let your child explore an interest by trying out a special class in something that interests them. These can be local or online. (I have been impressed with outschool.com)

The one thing I would encourage is for your little one to keep reading. Most children drop back at least a level over the summer months. Teachers expect that but if your little one is encouraged to read whether through a library program, online, with a relative, friend, or you, it definitely helps offset that decline. It will really help them fly when school starts again!

And don’t underestimate the value of boredom. I personally feel most children need to be a bit bored at times over the summer. If they are kept constantly stimulated their brains and bodies don’t get a chance to rest and build up for next year. And there’s something to be said for days with nothing planned where they…and you with them…can just dream. (Sounds good, doesn’t it?)

Whatever the summer brings, enjoy it with your special child. These times with them go fast. Cherish them. And have a wonderful summer vacation!

Take Care. 🙂

Reading IS Fun

Post 167

As summer is looming ahead (or, for some of you, already started), being a teacher, my thoughts turn to how to keep students reading at the level they are at. Generally, most children have dropped back a level or two in the Fall due to being simply “out of practice”.

I always recommend the Summer Reading Club at your local library. It is free, gets the children into a library picking out books, and there is always some kind of reward…stickers, a party, etc. Not a bad deal! The idea is to subtly have little ones realize that reading IS fun. Because it is!

For some students, this happens naturally. They love to look at books, be read to, and try to read. Wonderful! But for a lot of children, especially those who haven’t quite mastered the basics, reading is WORK! Probably, your little one falls somewhere in between these two extremes. Maybe they love to be read to but don’t really want to make the effort to read themselves. So how can you help them realize reading IS fun especially over the summer?

My suggestion is to first of all, let them read what they want. It can be a comic, an easy reader, whatever. And don’t be upset if it is at an easier level than where you think they should be. The idea is to help your child become a fluent reader and something not as demanding is easier and therefore more fun. 😀 Of course, as your little student becomes more comfortable and fluent, up the level of the reading material to at least where they should be. (And be careful of books marked “easy readers”. They aren’t always “easy” due to uncomplicated words. Sometimes it has more to do with word count. Also, physically small books don’t mean they are easy to read, either.)

Another idea is to encourage you child to read to someone. That can be anyone…a sibling or grandparent is fine but a dog, cat, or even their favorite stuffies are terrific, too! That’s where reading a slightly easier text or one they have memorized is good. Fluency will just happen + no stress = FUN. And that’s the whole idea. Right?

You might want to encourage “picture walks” through new books before trying to read the text. This is when the reader simply browses through a book, looking at the pictures, and tells the story based on that alone. It doesn’t have to be correct. It gets the child into the story in a relaxed way. That’s another way to build reading fluency…especially when done with a favorite stuffed animal listening. 😀

Finally, most children absorb ideas through modeling. So, let your little one see you enjoying reading. Again, it can be a magazine, book, graphic novel, cookbook, whatever you enjoy. And, of course, keep reading together. Whether at bedtime or whenever those are special moments you both will never forget. And YOU + YOUR CHILD + READING = FUN.

Take Care. 😀