Appalachia VA Reading Foundation
News and Events
Mother Goose Flies in to WJDW to Read to Children!
Mother Goose flew in to the WJDW Television Station in Tazewell to read to several Head Start children and other Mother Goose friends for 28 minutes. She also took a few minutes out of her reading time to emphasize the Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia (VA)'s message to encourage parents, grandparents and friends to read 20 minutes every day.
This show is airing at different times during the month of February. Tune in to this station and let your children watch and listen to Mother Goose read several favorite books.
February is "Share the Love of Reading" Month
New Year's Resolution--Read To Your Child 20 Minutes Every Day
MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION--
RESOLVE TO READ TO YOUR CHILD 20 MINUTES EVERY DAY!
How many of us make New Year's resolutions, only to break them by the first week? We resolve to lose weight, stop smoking, exercise more, and others that we fail to keep. How many of us have made a pledge to read to our child, grandchild, friend, or neighbor 20 minutes every day? "Twenty minutes a day--are you crazy? I am lucky to have ten minutes for myself with everything I have to do!" That is what most folks will tell you when you ask such a question. Beyond taking care of yourself, reading to a child is the most important and powerful gift you could give.
Statistics show that for your child to be successful in school, he/she must be able to read. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the curriculum presented in the classroom requires the skill of reading. "You just said 'the skill of reading'?" Yes. Many years ago, we were told that there were three important subjects--reading, writing, and arithmetic. Now researchers have proven that reading is a 'skill' necessary throughout our lives to ensure success.
Pledging, or resolving, to read to your child 20 minutes requires more that a statement before the New Year comes in. It requires a tremendous commitment. But what could ever be more important in our lives than doing something for our children, grandchildren, foster children, and other relationships to enable them to become an independent, thriving adult? That is your role as a parent--to prepare your child for life. You can be assured that you will work time in for everything else that you determine important.
So the first thing is to make reading to a child the top priority in your day. Do you remember the day when your child came home from school and read that first page in the book to you? That day may have occurred in your own home before your child started school. We got so excited. Maybe it was three or four months ago. Or maybe this just sparked a memory for you that you had long forgotten. Bring it alive again! How do you start? You start by doing. Start by taking ten minutes out of the day. For parents, foster care parents, or other guardians, start reading, or let your child read to you, ten minutes before bedtime--for the infant, the two year old, the seven year old--it is so powerful! The earlier you begin reading to your child, the better. You not only help expand the child's vocabulary and comprehension, but the bond between you becomes even stronger. Don't you want that? Doesn't your child need that?
Ok, you now have ten minutes under your belt! See how easy? Now, how about mealtime? While the child is eating, you can bring out interesting books and read, and before you know it, your child has devoured his/her meal and you have met your resolution for the day!
Be creative! Read a child a nursery rhyme at bedtime. The next day, at various intervals, start citing the nursery rhyme to the child. The next night, read it again. If you have time, you might make the "itsy bitsy spider" craft with the child. More than likely, the child will request the special book that sparks his/her interest. By the time your child starts to school, he/she will know hundreds of nursery rhymes and will almost be guaranteed that he/she will start school at or above grade level.
I read a book called 'Falling Forward' by John Maxwell. His book talks about failure and how it helps a person grow. "Oh, so you are already talking about failing, right?" Yes, and you certainly will from time to time. But let's go further. Let's apply the topic of his book to what we are talking about--reading 20 minutes with your child every day. Let's just say that in the middle of January you have only read 10 minutes a day, or say, 20 minutes a day only three times that week. What do you do? Do you give up? Absolutely not! John Maxwell would give you five more 'failure passes' because every time you fail, you learn something from it if you have realized you failed. So if you made that commitment at the beginning of the year, you know you have failed. It's alright! Just start over. Before you know it, you have developed a habit that will enable your child, grandchild, or other relationship that is moving closer toward success in school and success in life.
Challenge: Set aside a family reading night in your home. Put it on your calendar for 20 minutes. Do not let anything push it off. Let your child choose a book or books to read. Get the Bible and read and talk about the passages. You will not believe how much they will look forward to that dedicated time with everyone in your home. This time also gives you the opportunity to learn about what else is going on in your child's life.
Challenge: Start a family reading night in your community. Advertise the event and invite families to a central location. Do a book drive and allow the children to take home a book. Do a book exchange.
Challenge: Read Across America Week usually falls around the first week in March. Please block off one hour and call or visit your school, a teacher or principal you know, Head Start Center in your locality, local library, your church and offer to read to a classroom of children 20 minutes. They will welcome you with open arms, hugs and smiles! Better yet, don't wait until March--start now.
Challenge: In the summertime, your child will get bored quickly after the school year ends. Enroll them in a summer library program. It is amazing what they do with the children to maintain and/or enhance children's reading skills. They make reading fun!
Challenge: Think out of the box. The outcome of the skill of reading is an expanded vocabulary and increased comprehension. So after those books get put back on the shelf, you might be driving to a ballgame or to school. Ask the child questions about the books, or point out significant letters on a sign. Again, be creative.
Losing weight and exercising is so critically important for you to be healthy for you and your family. But please do not forget that you are here for others. Reading to a child 20 minutes 20 minutes every day is the most powerful tool you can use to ensure your child's success in school or life. You will also be fascinated by your child's eagerness to read as you progress throughout the year. So, in December, when that Christmas tree goes up again, and you begin thinking about the perfect gift you can give to your child, just remember--you already gave it to him or her throughout the year--the gift of reading.
Chris Thompson, Executive Director
Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia (VA)
Partnerships Result in Tremendous Resources for Children in Tazewell County
It is true that strength comes in numbers! Several partners worked together at Christmas time, and it resulted in securing over 1,100 books that have and will be distributed to children throughout the area.
These partnerships formed as dialogue began between the Tazewell Area Chamber of Commerce Director, Becky Duncan, and AmeriCorp volunteer at Clinch Valley Community Action, Karen Ranz. There had not yet been a theme chosen for the Tazewell Christmas parade. The suggestion of developing a theme around books arose because the local Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia (VA) Director was seeking books to distribute to area children. This storybook theme was presented to the local Garden Club members (who recommended this theme to the Town of Tazewell). Hence, the theme: "Storybook Time in T-Town" became a reality.
The theme blossomed from local businesses decorating their trees with small books to an area-wide book drive. Collection sites were set up at the local schools, public libraries, Clinch Valley Community Action, and the Chamber of Commerce office. As a result, over 1,100 books were collected.
The Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia (VA) staff had Mother Goose and numerous volunteers who helped distribute many of these books at the Tazewell Christmas parade and the party following with Santa, as well as at the Bluefield, Virginia Christmas parade. "The reaction of the children and parents was indescribable when we began handing out books along the parade route. They are used to getting candy. But when we began passing out the books, children and parents would run up to the volunteers, begging for one. Then the other volunteers got so excited to the crowd's reaction to getting books, that they were passing them out quicker than we could replenish them, thus depleting our supply before the end of the route. We learned a lot during this whole process, and we will be prepared to work harder next year to have many more books for the parades," said Chris Thompson, Director of the Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia (VA).
The strength and wonderful working relationships between the Town of Tazewell, Tazewell Area Chamber of Commerce, Garden Club, Clinch Valley Community Action, Tazewell County Public Library, and the Children's Reading Foundation of Appalachia (VA) expanded the opportunity for children to have additional books in their homes this year.
