Tags
Top Ten Ways to Encourage Children to Read Over Winter Break by Katherine Sokolowski
It is no big secret, I’m a reader. I wear that label proudly and, as a result, my students’ parents often email me looking for advice regarding their children and reading. Today I thought I would share with our Nerdy Book Club friends the advice I’m giving my parents this year on encouraging their children to become readers – especially over that long two week break we have coming up. (Although plenty of it could be applied to the whole year long.) You will see that the majority of this list can apply to teachers in the classroom or parents at home. Enjoy!
Top Ten Ways to Encourage Children to Read Over Winter Break
10. Set expectations. I expect my students to continue to read daily over break. I expect the same of my own children at home. I tell them up front that I will be checking in after break and want to know what they read. As a parent, I ask my boys what they are reading each day and talk to them about the book when they’re done. There is not a question of if they will read on a given day, but when and how much.
9. Make plans. As my friend Donalyn Miller says, readers make plans. In my classroom we will plan out what we think we will read before we leave for break. In my home we will plan out the best time for us to read, daily. My students know I plan to read a book a day over break. I need to plan ahead so that I have enough reading material to make it over the long break. I ask them to think about the books they are reading – do they need to take more home? My own children ensure they have reading material to read each day. If they don’t, we jump down to number 8. (Or, we jump to number 8 if it is Saturday, rainy, or we’re just in the mood.)
8. Visit a library or a bookstore. Just going to either one of these places is great – you are immediately surrounded by a community of readers! Both of my boys have library cards and a trip to the library is guaranteed during winter break. I immediately head to the new picture books and plop on the floor and read as many as possible. They usually head to the non-fiction books and look for something new on their current obsession. The bookstore is just as wonderful and we could all spend hours there.
7. Connect them to an author. I’ve seen it in my classroom and I’ve seen it at home – when children connect to the authors of the books they are reading, magic happens. Luckily, in this era, this is easier than ever. Kids can tweet out their love of their books to the author who wrote them. Many authors will tweet back. At home and at school we also check out the author’s website. Sometimes you can email them, but even more than that the resources are often incredible. Watch book trailers; find out the story of why they wrote the book, and more.
6. Talk. In my classroom I make time to sit down with each child over the course of two weeks and talk about what they’re reading. This is just as important at home, if not more so. I want to know what my boys are reading and what they are connecting to. I want to be there when they read the sad/hard/scary/funny part and get to discuss the reaction they had. I want to discuss why they feel this is the best series of all time and debate it. We connect through books and the discussion around them strengthens that bond.
5. Make it fun. We hold read-a-thons in my giant bed on a regular basis on the weekends. It’s a great feeling to look up from my cozy spot and see both of my boys curled up near me reading their books. If it is cold outside, we hold our read-a-thons downstairs by the fire with hot chocolate. There are challenges to see who can read the most, book talks to try and convince family members to read the book next, and more.
4. Make it important. When we value something, we devote time to it. By doing so, we show its importance. That’s why when I heard this idea from author Linda Urban; I knew I was going to steal it. In Linda’s family they bring their books to the dinner table on Tuesday nights. Whatever you’re currently reading is welcome. Finger food is on the table for dinner and for the entire meal everyone reads. Let me say that again, everyone reads. Think of the message that sends children!
3. Give books. We give books to everyone on our list. I include my boys on the title discussions for each recipient so they can see the thought that goes into matching the perfect title with the recipient. We talk about how wonderful the gift of a book is because it gives the person we’re giving it to an experience. (For more on giving books, and Chronicle’s #givebooks campaign, check out this link: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/landing-pages/givebooks/)
2. Get books. Books are part of the gift of Christmas in our home. I can think of no better way to send the message that I want you to be a reader than to give books. My boys can tell me titles that they are looking forward to reading and I will purchase them, but I also buy some because I think they will be a good stretch. I also give them gift cards so they can go to the bookstore and pick out their own books. If you are looking for great titles this year, look no further than the Nerdy Book Club nominees for 2013: https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2013/12/01/our-2nd-nerdversary-and-the-2013-nerdy-award-finalists/
1. Be a role model. In the classroom I share my reading life with my students. Returning from Thanksgiving break I will tell them what I read over break and share titles. I want them to know I am a reader. I do the same with my children at home. If I don’t model it, they won’t do it. Be a reader. Magazines, novels, comics, newspapers, etc. – let them see you read. Let them see you react to books. Inspire.
Katherine Sokolowski has taught for fifteen years and currently teaches fifth grade in Monticello, Illinois. She is passionate about reading both in her classroom and also with her two sons. You can find her online at http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/ and on Twitter as @katsok.
This is a great list! I love your #1! I agree. And if teachers are models for kids every day, a lot of this falls into place much easier. When the students see the importance, relevance, and fun of reading daily, modeled by their teacher, they begin to buy in. Thanks again!
Agree completely, Russ! Thanks for reading!
Brilliant list, Katherine. I will share with my teachers and students before the holiday. For years, we made all kids turn in their library books before the break in case they moved or left the books out of town at Grandma’s house. I have come to realize that lost books don’t really matter. What does, is that kids have access to lots of books. So now, I encourage all my students check out a big pile of books for the holiday, and they are so excited to do so. Most come back, and the ones that don’t, I just replace.
I agree, Debra. I used to stress out a lot more about lost books. Now I figure they’ve gone to a good home. 🙂
Fun challenges always work! My classes are in the middle of a week-long reading challenge to read somewhere new/creative/fun. They are encouraged to report back to the class and/or email a picture of themselves reading in their new spot. At the end of the challenge, I will place all the pictures into an Animoto video. Some reading places already reported back (or pictures emailed) = under the Christmas tree! in a dog’s crate! behind mom’s bed! on the kitchen counter! on the stairs! in the bathtub! I can’t wait to go to school next week to see the other places they read.
Love your fun challenge! Tony Keefer wrote on his blog last week about creating challenges in his classroom. Very fun!
#10 is huge. Some parents tacitly support kids’ view that the holidays mean “a holiday from reading” because they’re “too busy” going over the river (perfect reading time) and through the woods (throw a book in your backpack). “Too busy” can also mean things like video gaming and instagram-ing (a new gerund, I think).
I also like the giving and getting reminders. There’s no better stocking stuffer than a thin little gift certificate to your favorite bookstore — be it made of bricks and mortar or barnes and nobles.
Love your reply, Ken. Ten is huge! My boys are readers. It isn’t because they always read willingly, but because it isn’t an option in our home. We read. Period.
These are great ideas! A fellow teacher and I are making an announcement to our student body next week recommending a book we think they might like (Eleanor & Park, Rainbow Rowell) as a fun way to destress while they study for January exams. My next big classroom goal is to set up a bulletin board display to show what I’m reading and encourage them to show what they’re reading. Love this blog!
Fun! And I LOVED Eleanor & Park (and Fangirl). Good luck!
Great ideas! I have certainly seen that when I am reading, they find a book. Example is key.
Absolutely. Reading role models are critical.
Thank you! I always do a used book exchange in my 7th grade classes the last day before break. Everyone brings in a used book wrapped in colorful paper, brown paper bags, etc. I provide a few extra books for those that couldn’t bring them and new releases to make things more exciting. Then students proceed to exchange books similar to a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone is excited to see all of the books unwrapped and they all get to take home a “new to them” book to read over the break!
Fun! Love the idea of a used book exchange.
So many classrooms have pre-break holiday parties and a book exchange would make a wonderful addition. Going to e-mail this post out to everyone at my school and include your suggestion as well, Bethany 🙂
Thank you for sharing this post! Happy Holidays!
Pingback: Top Ten Ways to Encourage Children to Read Over Winter Break by Katherine Sokolowski | Teachers Blog
Such a great list Katherine. I loved spending hours at my favourite children’s bookstore yesterday purchasing books for all of our primary students (because of a very generous donation) with the librarian from my school. That job done, each of us moved onto our own list – purchasing books for our loved ones. We were surrounded by others shopping for important children on their lists and I loved listening to all of the discussion and recommendations. So pleased knowing that so many children will be receiving new books this holiday season!
The one thing I remember about my Mother was she was always reading. I so loved to cuddle up and listen to her read. Today my oldest 50 and my baby 37 remember their Mom always reading.
Love, love, love this post. I will definitely be sharing this post with all the teachers at my school!
I love reading children story books, but I do not see the same kind of reading habits in children now a days. Any idea on how to inculcate reading habits in them?
Pingback: DCPS Achievement Gap | Top Ten Ways to Encourage Children to Read Over Winter Break by Katherine Sokolowski
Pingback: Top Ten Ways to Endcourage Children to Read Over Winter Break | Sandwich Literacy
Thanks. This is great!
>>> Nerdy Book Club 12/7/2013 4:01 AM >>>
CBethM posted: “It is no big secret, I’m a reader. I wear that label proudly and, as a result, my students’ parents often email me looking for advice regarding their children and reading. Today I thought I would share with our Nerdy Book Club friends the advice I’m givin”
Pingback: 5 Things I Loved About Last Week- December 14 | Ms. Victor Reads
Pingback: Making Plans for Vacation Reading | NSES Reading Blog