Summer Slide

To my "Powerful Parents":

Are your students reading during the months that they are out of school? You ask, "How do I get my child to read in the summer? Why is it necessary? Don't they deserve a break?  My "teacher" answer is that not reading during the summer months,  according to experts at Harvard University, can cause a student to "slide" back two months in regards to their grade level. I am making sure that my  daughter and any students I come into contact with are reading!!

How do you get them to read? Let them read what they like! However, monitor their reading to make sure that they're reading appropriate books/magazines/articles/web pages, and that they are reading items that are on or above their grade level. That is key.  Also, ask them various  reading strategy questions, such as:

Give me a summary of what you've read so far.
What is the authors purpose, authors viewpoint, or main idea?
Would  you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
Also, you can buy your child postit notes and let them "leave tracks" as they are reading. This strategy aids them in reflecting and creating notes based on what their thoughts are at the time that they are reading. They can create questions of the characters, make inferences, or chart the development of the character
These are some strategies to start with.

Here's to creating powerful readers. Remember that READERS ARE LEADERS!

Until next time!

Rochelle V. Gray