Deborah Burley, SMART volunteer, displays her Leo Award from Standard Insurance Company
Deborah Burley is a Rate Audit Specialist with the Standard Insurance Company. She’s also a volunteer reader with SMART, which means that she meets weekly with two kids and reads one-on-one with them for 30 minutes apiece.
Her mentoring philosophy is simple. Deborah says, “There is no wrong way to read to a child. I never push the students, I just remain open and encouraging so they can explore what excites them. I know I make a big difference in the lives of children struggling to learn to read. When you start reading to a shy child at the beginning of the school year, by the end of the year you can see they have more confidence in their reading ability. I love to watch their faces light up when I tell them they are doing a great job.”
Deborah, thanks for the advice! We could all take a page from your book. Let’s let the children guide the process, let them make mistakes – this is all a part of the learning process.
Children, especially young ones, tend to bounce and squiggle when reading or being read to. It may seem as though they’re not interested when in fact all they may need is a better chair, brighter lighting, or a less distracting view.
A SMART reading mentor shared this a-ha moment with us: “I was reading with a little girl in first grade who couldn’t settle down. She would get up, swing on the desk and look to see what everyone else was doing. One day I realized that maybe the chair was the wrong size – she was very small. I got a higher chair and she settled right down and paid attention. Wish I’d thought of it sooner!”
When reading with a young child who seems to be constantly struggling, you may wonder whether s/he is experiencing common “bumps” or has a more serious learning disability. In the article called “New Reader Roadblocks”, Scholastic reminds us that kids learn in a myriad of ways and offers a checklist for recognizing the difference. They also explain What To Do Now from a parent’s perspective if the answers warrant further investigation.
But what if you’re a volunteer who reads with a child and have noticed concerning behaviors? Unless otherwise advised by your supervisor, write a note to the teacher expressing your concerns. Teachers are better trained to identify problem potential and have the ability to connect with parents if further action is needed. Regardless of whether you hear back from the teacher, continue to model good reading behavior and keep the child excited about books and reading.
Sign up for a free membership at Learning Page and gain access to dozens of books in the Tommy Tales series, including some in Spanish. The site also has free downloadable clipart and worksheets including alphabet, calendar, money, senses, time, measure and numbers. Free Acrobat Reader required to view and print.
Do you read with a kindergartner who chooses the same book again and again? Or a second grader who seems overwhelmed by too many options? Elementary age children are just learning to enjoy reading and books. As reading role models our job is to encourage good reading habits, regardless of what books are read.
That said, here are a few ways to help a child select books:
Read stories that you enjoy. Your enthusiasm will be contagious!
Ask questions, find out what s/he is interested in, e.g. cats, baseball, friends, and look for stories related to that topic.
If a book proves uninteresting after a few pages, don’t be afraid to stop and choose another.
Read favorite books again and again. This helps the child build confidence in his or her reading ability. For diversity ask the child if you can select a book, and alternate reading aloud.
Children’s book ownership directly relates to their academic success. That’s why the staff of the nonprofit SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) launched the SMARTBookAward.org website—to make book recommendations and reading tips available for families, and anyone who reads with elementary age children. Blog post authors are part of the SMART staff, and we hope to include guests in the future including children’s book authors, reading mentors, parents and kids.
But wait, there’s more! You can receive reading tips and more directly to your mobile phone by texting the word BOOKWORM to 90999. Standard message charges apply. Plus: those who sign up between February 1-28, 2010, are entered to win one of eleven children’s books signed by Joey Harrington, seven year NFL quarterback and member of SMART’s board of directors!
We welcome your feedback on the new site, or tips for the Bookworm Blog. Items should be relevant for elementary age children, primarily in pre-kindergarten to third grade.
