As we close out February and move into March, I would like to thank all families for your continued support. Our students have been working so hard on their academics and learning behaviors. We are excited about the wonderful new initiatives we have been able to kick-off so far in the new year. This includes the Thursday morning Read-Aloud and Tune in Tuesday. It makes me happy when students come up to me first thing Wednesday morning to tell me they listened to the Tune in Tuesday story.

Here are some tips to help promote a well-rounded reader at home:

Talk About Stories

When you read aloud to your student, give their comprehension a boost by discussing the book. You might ask, “Which character reminds you of yourself?” or “What would this story be like if it took place in the future?” Encourage your student to ask you questions too. Thinking about what to ask will help them reflect on the story and understand it better.

Learn from Nonfiction

Keep track of what your family learns from nonfiction. Have your student post a sheet of paper  where everyone can list facts they discover along with titles of the book or articles where they found the information. Your student might be surprised to see how much nonfiction can teach them.

Act out Poems

Making up motions to go with a poem can help your child visualize what it’s about. Help them find a book for children’s poetry at the library. For “I Found a Four-Leafed Clover” (Jack Prelutsky), they could put a four-leaf clover in their pocket, drop a dozen plastic eggs, and look for keys. They can also illustrate poems to help with visualization.

Joy B. Smith