Monday, March 25, 2019

March 25, 2019









Why Is Summer Reading So Important for Kids' Success?


Teachers
 Summer reading is critical for students to retain knowledge and skills learned in the previous school year. Students who don't read are at risk of falling behind their classmates. Parents and teachers can avoid this by making sure kids take time to read.

Summer Reading Defeats Summer Learning Loss
Reading over summer vacation may not be a priority for children, but parents and teachers should make it one. Why? Summer reading is critical to a child's ability to not only retain information learned the previous year, but also to grow in knowledge and critical thinking skills for the coming year. Literacy expert Julie Wood believes that it is necessary for children to read daily in order to maintain literacy skills learned in the previous school year.

Exercise the Brain Over Summer
Assistant Principal Twana Santana-Embry likens reading to exercising. She encourages students to read to strengthen their reading skills. Just like exercising keeps muscles in shape, reading keeps the brain in shape. If you don't exercise, you lose muscle, and if you don't read, you will lose literacy skills.

A University of Tennessee, Knoxville, research study shows that children who don't read over the summer lose at least two months of reading development. This is often referred to as 'the summer slide' or the 'summer learning loss.' On the other hand, students who do read over the summer may gain a month of proficiency in reading. Reading over the summer is not a suggestion to keep kids busy; it's a critical requirement to help students stay on track for their entire educational career and beyond.

Increase Knowledge
Reading, in general, is highly effective at building up a child's knowledge in a vast amount of subject areas, including English, math, science and history. Studies conducted by Dr. Alice Sullivan monitored the impact of reading in a child's life from elementary through adulthood. These studies discovered a greater intellectual progress in vocabulary, spelling and math than that of a child not reading more than the required school amount. Clearly, reading is a strong tool for growing in comprehension skills and general knowledge of the world. Therefore, children who read can stay ahead of their classmates during the school year.

Encourage Summer Reading
Summer reading is very important for maintaining a child's current grade level skills and for pushing forward to develop skills above the current grade level. But how can parents encourage their children to read over the summer? Here are a few summer reading suggestions from teachers who shared their thoughts with Scholastic.

Send Books Home with Students
Teachers have discovered that students who are sent home with books of their choosing are more apt to read over the summer than students who are given a summer reading list or are simply told what read over the summer. Further studies reveal that children of lower income have more difficulty finding access to books and reading programs. Allowing students to pick a few books to take home over summer vacation not only increases access to books, but it also encourages students to read on their own.

Build Up Anticipation
Another suggestion from a teacher is for teachers to get their students hooked on a book series close to the end of the school year. Read the first book in a series aloud to the class and build up excitement and anticipation for the next book in the series. When school lets out for the summer, encourage students to go to their local library or bookstore and pick up the next book in the series.

Suggest Audio Books
If students have a hard time reading, suggest they read a few books over the summer to help build their reading skills. At the same time, find books that are also available on audiotape. This can help encourage students to keep reading even if they don't particularly like it. A book on tape still opens the world of adventure and gives students a boost in literacy skills.

Don't Forget to Read for Fun
Encouraging children to read is critical to helping them stay on track with other students and retain information and literacy development over the summer break.
Don't forget to keep reading fun. Give your child the opportunity to choose books on his own as well. This can help keep reading interesting and inviting. Reading over the summer is a necessity, but it should also be fun!

Enjoy,
Ms. Nora Sierra
EC Assistant Principal
Discovery School

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

March 19, 2019





Little boys aspire to be “him”, and little girls think he’s the “King of the World.” A dad is the first important male figure in a child’s life. Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity for the little ones to show how important this special man is to them.

Father’s Day is the perfect time to show your dad how much you love and care for him. Instead of giving the usual gifts, try to do something different that your father will love and cherish forever.

Monday, March 11, 2019

March 11, 2019




SAN DIEGO -- Children will soon be cheering yea and neigh.
A new Dr. Seuss book, titled "Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum," is hitting the shelves 28 years after the acclaimed author died.
The book, which came out in September, celebrates art and "how we all see the world in different ways," publisher Random House said in a statement Thursday.
Young readers will join a friendly horse on a guided tour of an art museum. The book will feature reproductions of famous horse artwork by Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, and other artists, Random House said.
Fans of Seuss' previous works will be delighted to see some of their favorite characters again. Some of the classic Dr. Seuss characters, including the Cat in the Hat, the Grinch, and Horton the Elephant, also make cameos in the book.
Dr. Seuss, whose real name is Theodore Seuss Geisel, died in 1991 at age 87 after writing and illustrating dozens of playful children's books, including "Green Eggs and Ham" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"
The manuscript for "Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum" was discovered in the late author's La Jolla, California, home 21 years after his death. Using Geisel's original sketches and taking inspiration from his past work, Australian illustrator Andrew Joyner completed the unfinished artwork.
"We're so excited to have 'Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum' to share with readers, and to give them an inside look at how Ted thought about art, and how he viewed the world—which was with a creative eye, and a passionate belief in imagination," said Susan Brandt, president of Dr. Seuss Enterprises.
In 2015, the posthumous release of Dr. Seuss' "What Pet Should I Get?" became a #1 New York Times bestseller.

Enjoy,
Ms. Nora Sierra
EC Assistant Principal
Discovery School


Monday, March 4, 2019

March 4, 2019


   

4 life lessons I learned from reading Dr. Seuss books


When it comes to children’s books, Dr. Seuss is one of those authors who has maintained a spot-on bookshelf across generations. His unique literary style remains relevant to new generations of kids and in hearts of their parents and grandparents, too.

A big reason for this success is probably because his books are simply fun to read, with their rhyming phrases, made-up words, and quirky illustrations. However, another reason they’ve continued to be popular is that teachers, librarians, and parents all agree his books teach important life lessons.  
Honestly, I hadn’t really thought about how many lessons one can take home from his books until recently. When I was reading books like The Lorax and The Cat in the Hat as a kid, I focused on the fun, silliness of the books: the wacky characters, colors, and rhymes. Not realizing the deeper meaning, I was interpreting. Now looking back on some of my favorites, I see the powerful ideas sprinkled throughout.
To celebrate Read Across America Day and Dr. Seuss’ 114 birthday, here are a few of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes and the lessons they taught me:
The Lorax
Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
In The Lorax, Dr. Seuss shares a story of a world overrun with greed and environmental turmoil. Through sharing wise words from the Lorax, Seuss empowers young readers, telling them that if they let their passion guide them, they have the power to change the world.

Happy Birthday to You!


Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
In Happy Birthday to You! Dr. Seuss celebrates individuality, telling readers about a world where a friendly bird organizes a party for everyone on their birthday with all of their favorite things. In this quote, Seuss lets readers know that they are unique and that it is something to be proud of.

Horton Hears a Who!


Don’t give up! I believe in you all. A person’s a person, no matter how small!
In Horton Hears a Who!, Dr. Seuss highlights the importance of supporting others, even when they might be a little different from you. Even though Horton can’t quite relate to the experiences of the Who’s, he does everything he can to ensure their safety.

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut

The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
This quote might be one of my favorites. In I Can Read with My Eyes Shut, Seuss informs readers on how magical and important reading can be. The quote is self-explanatory; reading is the key to success!



Enjoy,