Ways to Improve Reading Skills

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   1. Set aside a regular time to read to your children every day - even in the summer. Studies show that regular reading out loud to children will produce significant gains in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the decoding of words. Whether your children are preschool or pre-teen, it will increase their desire to read independently. Don't forget vacations and summer - research shows that young readers who don't continue to read over the summer are likely to lose crucial ground the following year.

2. Surround your children with reading material. Children with a variety of reading materials in their homes score higher on standardized tests. Tempt your kids to read by having a large supply of appealing books and magazines at their reading level. Put the reading material in cars, bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, and even by the T.V. Use the computer to help motivate your child to read. Websites such as funbrian.com, Starfall.com, weeklyreader.com, are great for young readers.

3. Have a family reading time. Establish a daily 15 - 30 min time when everyone in the family reads together silently. Seeing you read will inspire your children to read. Just 15 min. of daily practice is sufficient to increase their reading fluency.

4. Encourage a wide variety of reading activities. Make reading an integral part of your children's lives. Have them read menu's, roadside signs, game directions, weather reports, movie times, and other practical everyday information. Also, make sure they always have something to read in their spare time when they could be waiting fir appointments or riding in the car.

5. Develop the library habit. Entice your children to read more by taking them to the library every few weeks to get new reading materials. The library also offers reading programs for children of all ages that may appeal to your children and further increase their interest in reading. Summer Library Program

6. Be knowledgeable about your child's progress. Find out what reading skills they are expected to have at each grade level. The school's curriculum will give you this information. Track their progress in acquiring basic reading skills on report cards and standardized tests.

Student Author Emily

Title:

Student Author Catherine

Title: The Monster Under my Bed

I got a new bed. It was my first time sleeping in it. It was dark and scary and I saw a monster under my bed! I screamed, "Ahhh! There's a monster under my bed." Mom and dad came to see what was wrong. I told them I found a monster under my bed. They said, "There is no such thing a monsters." So they said "Goodnight!" Then I heard a noise. "Ahhh!" So grandma came in to see what was wrong. "I saw a monster under my bed!" "There is no such thing as monsters," said grandma. So she left. Then I saw a tongue. "Ahhh!" I screamed. So my aunt came in to see what was wrong. "I saw a monster under my bed!" "There is no such thing as monsters," they said. So they walked away. I saw it again! "Ahhh! but instead...

it was my dog scruffy. That was a relief. So I started to laugh then I slowly drifted off to sleep. Or is it the dog? I wondered.

Student Author Serena

Title: Stuffy the Dog

Once upon a time there was a dos named stuffy, he was a very odd dog. He would eat cat food. Instead of chasing cats he was friends with them; and he was afraid of dogs. So you see, Stuffy thinks he is a cat! One day Stuffy wished he was a cat and the next day sure enough he was a cat. Now for one year he was happy then he wanted to be a dog. The next day he went to the grassy hills, he wished he was a dog ten times then he fell fast asleep. When he woke up he was a dog again. He raced home, now he would chase cats, only eat dog food and never, ever, ever, wish to be anyone he wasn't. And he was the best dog ever.

Under the Canopy

Our most recent picture under our rainforest tree.

back row: Justin, Taylor, Brayden, Daniel, Aaliyah,

Jessica and Serena. Center: Megan, Regan, Austin, Peyton D.,

Gage, Jaedyn, Emily, and Catherine. Front Devon, Bryce,

Ayden, Ryan and Abby. Absent Peyton M., Brenden, and Alyssa.

Rainforest mural and bulletin boards

The couple examples that I have here of our peek a boo art were lots of fun for the students. Each child selected an animal and then drew a picture of that animal with the eyes located in the peeking slot. After they finished the art portion, they researched books to find three interesting facts about their animal. The art work we see here are from Regan, Catherine, Ryan, and Austin.

The toucan were one of many art experiences we will do while studying South America. We are looking forward to drawing an iguana, an anteater, and three different kinds of plants. This project was created in oil pastel. A couple of art concepts we were working on were; texture, and perspective.

Display of Peek-a boo Art

We have created mural on the wall in our clasroom. It includes the Great Kapok Tree, vines, moss, quetzal birds, butterflies, and assorted animals on the background of a variety of rainforest plants.

The Great Kapok Tree Cast 2

Lynn Cherry's The Great Kapok Tree supports the habits of mind. In the story the students develop empathy for the rain forest animals as the encroachment of man destroys their habitat. As we have studied the South American rain forest we have demonstrated elaboration in the creation of our beautiful classroom rain forest, risk taking as we performed our reader's theatre, and inquisitiveness as we researched the countries, animals and customs of the South American people. I am proud of the community workers we have become. If one student is having a hard time someone is always willing to help them understand or complete their task. They are kind to one another and careful of each others feelings.

Our journey continues with the study of South American legends, exploration of the two other regions of South America; the pampas and the Andes Mountains. We have some great art activities, and the study of South American ancient civilizations.

Thank you for your support at the Celebration of Learning our class have 100% attendance. What a great groups of parents we have. Your activity in your students school is a positive factor in the level of success your child will experience.

The Great Kapok Tree Cast 1

The class has worked so hard the past couple of week preparing for the Celebration of Learning. They have practiced the Reader's Theatre, and created a most beautiful rainforest mural in our room. As we practiced our reader's theatre, one of the things we talked about was fluency. Fluent readers use puntuation to make their reading flow and make sense. We learned to pause at periods between sentences and after commas. Fluenty readers do not read just as fast as they can but instead read with expression. Sometimes we need to slow down so that others can enjoy and understand what we read. The repetition and practice that is necessary for our reader's theatre was a great way to improve reading fluency.

Teachers receive training in "Math Talk".

The NCTM Standards emphasize the importance of developing
mathematical language and communication in order to
understand concepts rather than merely following a sequence
of procedures. Our problem solving curriculum and teaching strategies seek to build a community of learners who have frequent opportunities to explain their
mathematical thinking through "Math Talk" and thereby develop and support one another's understanding. The dialogue that takes place helps everyone understand math concepts more deeply, and it helps children to increase their competence in using mathematical and everyday language. Students' ability to use mathematical expressions to model real-world situation will be central to their progress in math and science.

While children engage in dialogue, the teacher acts as a guide to maintain the focus of the discussion and to clarify when necessary. Children use discussion to support the mathematical learning of everyone in the class. In a respectful community of this type, children:

• develop and share their own mathematical thinking
• Listen carefully to others ideas
• Wait time provides more thinking space and can help all students track what is going on mathematically, and think about their responces to the discussion.
• revoice ( restate in their own words what they hear others say)
• Ask questions, elaborate, agree and disagree, providing insight into the mathematical ideas of others.

The mathematical thinking of many students is aided by hearing what their peers are thinking. Putting their thoughts into words pushes students to clarify their thinking.

At the beginning of this process, teachers model "Math Talk" for children and elicit responses. Teachers wait patiently and refrain from intervening immediately to correct children’s errors
in order to create space and support for children’s voices to emerge. Teachers eventually guide children from the side or the back of the classroom so that children can sense that their questions, ideas, and discoveries are the focal point of instruction.

I have witnessed a noticeable shift in responsibility from teacher directed learning to a more classroom community directed learning. Our second grade students are thinking, evaluating, and demonstrating a higher level of understanding in the problem solving process. They are discussing math concepts, strategies, and justifying their solutions. This more advanced thinking has made our math discussions more fun and there are times I sit back and just say WOW!

Recently, during a discussion Bryce was very confident about his solution, others were questioning his thinking. As he stood in front of the room and explained his answer it became clear that he understood not only the strategy he used but that he had a deeper understanding of the mathematical concepts he was teaching us.

Justin helped us identify a pattern and identified an important step some students were leaving out of their strategies. I could see his confidence and his ability to explain his thinking improve as he continually supported his solution.

As Megan started to share her solution she noticed a mistake she had made. She started to sit down but I encouraged her to share her new insight because many of us made the same mistake and she could really help us to understand. She continued and instead of feeling wrong she walked away feeling she had made an important contribution to the class.

With the use of math talk students are more engaged, they are paying attention, and responding to each other using respectful language. I find myself using this strategy across the curriculum to encourage students to participate in discussions. I hope to include a recording of one of our discussions soon.