Leap Into Literacy 4th Grade
Summer 2018
Don’t count the days; make the days count.
—Muhammad Ali
This is the time of year when it can be tempting to start counting down the days until summer. It is understandable. We are all tired. But I think something happens when we start counting down that isn’t in our best interest or the best interest of our students. I have been thinking about the power of subtle differences. It was in Choice Words by Peter Johnston that I learned my students would be better influenced by “Aren’t you proud of yourself?” than by “I’m so proud of you.” It’s a small shift, but the second sentence implies that students work to please me. The first promotes intrinsic satisfaction and self-pride.
Dive Into Summer Literacy
Parent Tips for Summer Reading
Keep books in the car, in the beach bag, and your child's sports bag
Connect reading to summer activities (For example: read books about places your family will go or activities that you will do together)
Let your children see you read (For example: read the newspaper in the morning or take a magazine from the rack at the doctor's office)
Reward reading with more reading (For example: if your child finishes one book, take a trip to the local library and let them pick out another)
Five Finger Rule for Summer Reading
Help your child select books on topics he/she is interested in. A simple rule of thumb for helping your child select books is to choose a page in the book (not the first one) and read it. If they don't know five or more words, then the book is too hard for pleasure reading.
MTPL Supports Summer Reading
The Middletown Public Library supports students' summer reading in a variety of ways. They have copies of our summer reading lists and set up displays of those books. They have their own summer reading program, Build a Better World Summer Reading Program, with activities and prizes. Can't get to the library? Not a problem. The library supports reading through their Hoopla link. Grab your library card, click on the link to Hoopla and gain access to e-books, audio books and much more. Happy Summer Reading!
RESOURCES
Here are two blog posts that might be useful to help parents encourage reading and writing throughout the summer.
How-to Help Keep Your Child Reading
Helping Parents to Understand Writing Workshop
Leisure Reading
By Lori Sabo