It is OKAY to YELL in the LIBRARY

Monday, October 10, 2005

Thank you for all of your participation and great suggestions at today's workshops. We hope you took at least one good idea home with you.

Here is a list of some of the great suggestions that you shared during the general discussions:

- Last year one school district provided busing so that parents without transportation were able to attend Open House activities. This year funding has been cut, but carpools are being developed to assist caregivers without a car.

- A suggestion to help kids acquire more words for their vocabulary: encourage them to create lists. Play a game inwhich a topic is chosen (ie Heinz Field). Students are to write down the names of 10 things they might see at Heinz Field. One point is award for a common word, such as football. Two points for a more unusual word, and the coveted three points for a really, really cool, unique word.

- Partner with Pizza Hut, encourage children to read 20 - 30 minutes a night, have parents validate the reading time, a reward is supplied by Pizza Hut for those who complete the program.

- Reader's Theater idea: Have teachers take roles in a play based on a book and present this play to the students.

- PJ parties held in the evening for Read Across America.

- Guest readers don't have to be just mom or dad, any special adult will do! This way children with parents who cannot read do not feel left out. Also, for moms and dads who work and cannot come to school as a guest reader: suggest that they video or audio tape themselves reading a favorite book, play the book during class.

- Middle School cheerleaders visited elementary school, wrote and performed a READ cheer. All students got READ t-shirts. Older students or Title One students can be guest readers all day long.

- Parents who use English as a second language can be encouraged to participate in their child's school life by bringing in something from their native culture to share. Have a Korean Day, for example, ask this parent to come in and present.

- Have students learn two poems a month. Keep a poetry book. Share poems with older grades in the school, write a poem with a "poem buddy" from an older grade. Each child will have a poem collection book by the end of the year.

- Families read books at home and are asked to bring them to school when they are finished. One night during the year there is a "book swap", families swap books that other families have read and give away their own books that they have finished.

- Decorate a cake for Dr. Seuss' birthday.

- 8th graders write and illustrate their own books and then read them to the younger children.

- 20 minutes for 20 days plan, reading at home with the family.

- Nights with Dad, children bring their fathers to school in the evening. School rooms are decorated according to themes: a dog room, police room, dad and child find a room and read for the evening.

- Fourth grade students take turns reading on the morning announcements.

- Children's Choice Awards with the local public library. Public librarian picks 4 books, students vote on the best one, a celebration is held at the school or public library to celebrate. Different winners at different reading levels.

- From the perspective of Speech Pathology: parents can be reminded that they are their children's first speaking role model. Older kids act out books for the younger kids.

- Book of the Month Club--- entire school reads one book. Activities are made up for each grade level. Music, art, etc. all incorporated. Ex- a book about Roberto Clemente, activities for all grades, culminating in the spring with a trip to PNC Park. Even field trips center around these book themes.

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