11-15-2024
As a former English teacher, I have been exposed to many
studies showing the importance of reading to children. The only one I can
remember in connection to this week’s topic is about the relationship between
the number of books in one’s home and a child’s grades, or is it IQ? Obviously,
I don’t really remember it. At the time I certainly counted the number of books
in my home and pondered the relationship between the study and library books
that are in and out of a home. Then I probably grabbed a book I’d been counting
and settled in to read.
Thankfully, Miss Maria has put together lovely packets of
information for parents of truly young patrons as part of the relaunched 1000
Books B4K (before kindergarten). The program encourages reading through the use
of coloring sheets each one representing 100 books. In the past, the title of
each book was recorded. The relaunched simplifies tracking of the 1000 books
thanks to the sheet created by Miss Anna. Each contains a bookshelf with 20
items bordered by 100 flowers. After every book, check off a flower. After
every 5, color in an item on the bookshelf randomly run a crayon/marker over
the page depending on the child’s artistic vision. Then record the best book
read in that 100 and bring to the library.
The child will receive a sticker and a new coloring sheet
after every 100 books read. At the end, the library will place a name plate in
the child’s favorite book recommending it to others. That’s 10 stickers and the
opportunity to influence other people. How many children would turn down that?
No reading program such as this would be complete without a book as the final
reward.
One of the flyers Miss Maria included in the packet does
remember why reading to children is important. It’s not just the reading it’s
the interaction with the book and the reader. Looking back at Emma’s youth, I
wish I had paused more to ask her questions about the story or the
illustrations. As a reader, I didn’t like to disrupt the story’s pace. She
would have benefited from more opportunities to absorb the story at a younger
age.
We started reading to Emma at bedtime when she was seven
weeks old. Admittedly, she didn’t understand any part of them, but it gave her
quiet time with her dad on a regular basis. Later those books may have acquired
some bite marks. Proof she enjoyed them. As a toddler, her favorite book was a
DK Publishing about babies. She was fascinated by the pictures of fellow little
ones and their lives.
One of the saddest days of my life was shortly after Emma’s
10th birthday. We had just finished reading the Harry Potter series
together. She had really wanted to read the final book to herself, but pitied
mom. When it was finished, she called an end to our nightly reading together.
Reading Now: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Conclave by Robert Harris
Listening to Now: A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost
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