Everything about this new normal is challenging. Just thinking about all of the “unknowns” is enough to make you want to pop a Xanax. In our recent post about connecting with students, we suggested that we turn our attention to what we know for sure and what we actually have control over. Let’s continue down …
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Reading Instruction
Are Books Limited at Home? 4 Ideas to Get Your Kids Reading
My littles are really lucky to have SO many books at their fingertips. I know most families don’t have access to books like my kids do. However, as I have made independent reading time a priority in our home, I realized that some of the reading material that fills my children’s reading time could be …
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Book Scavenger Hunt
I don’t know about you, but I hit a wall this week. Somewhere between the predictable moments like the constant loading and unloading of the dishwasher. And the unpredictable moments like the middle child falling from a tree, puncturing his cute little tummy on a sharp stick during a dang pandemic… I hit a wall. …
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7 Simple Tips to Get Kids Reading at Home
Reading has always been something that was easy to fit into our at-home routine. Bedtime stories are gold in our chaotic house. It is a sacred time, and when it’s missed, there are always tears. We try really hard in our home to treat reading as a gift and not a chore. Because that is …
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Why Kids Should Read at Least 20 Minutes a Day—POWERFUL!
What if what’s best for kids is also something that is easy to implement? I recently had a conversation with a literacy coach from one of the districts that I support. She shared with me some of the struggles her teachers are having as they launch their distance learning plans. Even though this new normal …
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Pioneer Valley Books: Supporting Today’s Teachers and Readers
When I taught first grade I was fortunate to have a classroom library filled with Pioneer Valley books. From the high-interest nonfiction texts to the lovable books about the cutest pups, Bella and Rosie, these leveled readers were always the first to fly off my library shelves. Pioneer Valley has always offered more than books …
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Free Resources to Support Independent Reading at Home
The research couldn’t be more clear: to grow readers, we need to get them reading…a lot! And to get them reading, they MUST.HAVE.BOOKS! In his seminal book on the effects of free voluntary reading, The Power of Reading, Stephen Krashen says this about access: “It is certainly true that you can lead a horse to …
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Distance Learning Mini-Unit on Building a Reading Life at Home
With school now taking place virtually in homes across the world, it’s critical that we take the time to help students build their reading lives in their at-home spaces. Research on reading achievement has concluded that volume of reading is directly and positively correlated to reading growth. Just like anything that we want to get …
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