Can Reading Prevent Violence? YES!!!

Did you know that 85% of youth in trouble with the law have reading difficulties?  This statistic is from The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment.  The Literacy Alliance believes strongly in providing literacy programs and books to all children, including those in distress.  Our programs at Boys Town, the Homeless Shelter, and the Juvenile Detention Center are examples of our dedication to getting books into the hands of children and engaging them in positive literacy activities.  

I recently became aware of The Melissa Institute that promotes literacy as a tool to prevent violence.  

The following is from their website:

The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment is a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of violence and the promotion of safer communities through education and the application of research-based knowledge.  

Evidence shows that students who do not learn to read on level by 3rd grade are much more likely to develop low self-esteem, drop out of school, and engage in antisocial, and aggressive behavior. To help prevent this spiral of failure The Melissa Institute has introduced The Balanced Literacy Diet website to support educators in developing effective and engaging literacy programs across the elementary grades.

This website was developed by university-based literacy experts and school-based practitioners – literacy specialists, classroom teachers as well as district and school administrators. The Balanced Literacy Diet framework is designed to provide a comprehensive multifaceted internet resource to support the development of research-informed reading and writing instruction in schools. 

The Balanced Literacy Diet website is free for educators and parents everywhere!

Reading Aloud to Children - A chat with juvenile offenders

"Today I went to the Juvenile Justice Detention Center - Seminole County. I spoke with eighteen boys and seven girls (14-18 years old). I provided a one hour program for the boys and then the same program for the girls. The program began with (1) a discussion on the importance of reading aloud to children followed by (2) a book reading and concluded with (3) the students creating Black Out poetry. Here is a comment by one of the detention students, "Your presentation on how important reading is in our everyday life was not only enlightening but also fun and educational. It has taught me how to make reading fun and also educational for my little sister and all of her friends that I read to."

(1) Why read aloud to children?
Reading aloud promotes language development and language enrichment. Book language is generally more complex than spoken language. It exposes children to more sophisticated vocabulary and more complex sentence structure.

"Before a child can learn to read, a child must have been read 1,000 books." ~ Mem Fox

At 4 books a day for 5 days a week this will be accomplished in less than 1 year. Research by Betty Hart and Todd Risley of the University of Kansas found that at the age of six, children from families who value education and where parents read to and with their children daily have a 20,000 word vocabulary, while their peers from families where reading is not encouraged know only about 3,000 words.

Should I read the same story over and over?
Repetition helps children understand the form and structure of language and the story and enriches their ability to retell or act out the story in addition to adding the positive of participation.

Young children need to hear a word 9-14 times before they know it. (Betty Hart & Todd Risley)

Watching TV?
Increased time spent watching television during childhood and adolescence is associated with a lower level of educational attainment. Children who watch a great deal of television (more than 3 hours a day) have shorter attention spans, less creative thinking skills, and bad attitudes towards school.

Do not allow children younger than 3 years old to watch TV. ALL experts agree on this.

Is it OK for a child to ask questions or make comments?
Participation involves children in the story, helps them own the story, be better listeners, think about the story, remember the story, it helps hold their attention, and gradually helps lengthen their attention span. Plus, it is FUN!

Is reading aloud to children important? YES!!
"The single most important activity for building understanding and skills essential for reading success appears to be reading aloud to children. High quality book reading occurs when children feel emotionally secure and are active participants in reading." ~ Joint position statement of the IRA (International Reading Association) and NAEYC (National Association of the Education of Young Children)

"Reading is important. Books are important. Children’s fiction is the most important fiction of all." ~ Neil Gaiman (Excerpt from his acceptance speech as the winner of the 2009 Newbery Medal for The Graveyard Book.)

For the most part, the students embraced these concepts and discussed the ideas. Several of the boys were willing to read and offer their thoughts. They were genuinely interested. Unfortunately, several of the girls had just returned from court and their mood was a bit somber. But I stayed positive and hoped they would find value in the discussion.

(2) After discussing reading aloud to children, I read aloud to the students! I combined Christopher Myer's picture book, Black Cat, and the song, "Moments in Love", by The Art of Noise. (My sister, Kathy, gets credit for finding the music.) The words with the music create a wonderful rhythm. It's a little like rap. The students loved it. The boys were chanting along with the chorus and although the girls were still a bit bummed, some smiles began to sneak onto their faces. There may or may not have been a guard or two getting their groove on in the back of the room.

(3) The hour concluded with students creating their own Black Out poetry. The poem below was created by my most enthusiastic student. He was a willing reader, loudly chanted the refrain in Black Cat, and eagerly created his poem.

Puree Your Reading! (by a Literacy Alliance friend)

Did you know that the single most important predictor of success in college is the ability to read for information? How do I know? I heard it at a workshop recently at my school. I’m a high school teacher. I don’t teach reading. But really all teachers teach reading to some degree or another. As I listened to the information in the meeting my mind wandered to my two daughters. I’m a mom too. I have my little E-worm who could break the bank with the number of books she adds to her electronic reader. On the flip side I have my Challenger. She thinks the best use of a heavy book is to hold down the lid on the hamster cage so there is no escape from her favorite furry friend. She will be going into the fourth grade, the year when students begin to make the shift from learning to read to reading for information. Fourth grade can be a make or break year for kids and I want her to make it!

So how do we get from hamster cage to college success? We’re working on it a little bit at a time. My current method reminds me of the approach some parents take to get their kiddos to eat vegetables. They puree the veggies and sneak them into the yummy mac-n-cheese. With my Challenger I can set a whole plate of spinach in front of her and she will say YUM! But ask her to read a chapter book and I get a definite YUCK! I am not eating that! I have to rethink how to feed this beautiful little mind of hers.

Here’s what we’ve done so far to “puree” reading for my Challenger. It’s an approach that takes no advanced planning but lots of patience and lots of attention to daily life and the opportunities that just pop up. Here are the everyday, and some not so everyday, things we do to get my daughter reading for information.

1. The internet. This is not my favorite because it always leads to a discussion of what we can and cannot buy. But it does work. My daughter loves to research how to spend her allowance. This involves searching, reading product details, and sometimes product reviews.
2. Television. It might not surprise you that my Challenger loves to watch TV. The good news. . . with the guide feature of cable and satellite there is a written summary of each show. She likes to read and find out what her “Little Ponies” will be up to today.
3. Toy directions. Not an everyday occurrence but a lot of reading involved. She wanted to build an island to match her favorite TV show. We went to Michaels and bought a kit. There were 11 steps in the directions; each step was multiple paragraphs long. It felt like a chapter book as we watched the island come to life with each step.
4. Little things. Checking the weather on the phone, reading menus at restaurants, and signs or maps when we go out and about.
5. Play acting. Our local elementary library is open on Wednesdays. The leader is so clever. She has the kids put on puppet shows. How does she puree? They have to read a script. But they love doing the show so much that they don’t even notice they’re reading. They also read and perform jokes. Sometimes they do magic! It’s definitely magical in more ways than one and we go home thrilled! Check your local library for free programs where books come to life.
6. Reading recipes. Last but not least and this one is probably my favorite. Thank you to Grandma! You can’t make chocolate chip pancakes without reading the Bisquick box. Can you think of a better reason to read for information?

These are just a few of the ideas I am working with to feed my Challenger. But there are more ideas out there. Have fun pureeing your reading! 

Thanks mom for reading to me

I was visiting my brother at his office yesterday and I noticed this quote embroidered on a pillow on his desk: "Richer than me, you will never be, for I had a mother that read to me." It caught my eye and I remembered that the pillow had belonged to our mother. It was a bittersweet memory for she passed away several years ago. But, ultimately it was a joyful one. I will forever be grateful for her unconditional love, her unfailing support, and she read to me!

Mom - Margie Johnson

My mother surrounded her children with literature. As children, we were read to, and encouraged to read and write on our own. She also involved us in the creative process. When we were little, she wrote stories, dressed us up in costumes, created sets inside and outside our house, took pictures of us acting the story, put the pictures and text into a book, and presented it to grandparents as a gift. She encouraged us to write our own plays. One summer visiting grandparents in NY, my siblings and I turned the basement into a theatre and performed (to rave reviews) our own version of The Three Little Pigs. During Christmas, we always provided any visiting relatives with a silly and enjoyable play. She taught us to play charades and enjoy being creative as we acted without words.  

During my childhood, the TV was off (there were no video games) and it was up to us to have fun. My siblings, friends, and I created worlds in our backyard tree house, down by the pond, in living room forts, down by the muck farms, wherever! I even created a library world - I spent the day turning the family room couch into a library and bugging my family to come check out books. One time I became a reporter for the day. Using an old manual typewriter, I wrote an entire newspaper (maybe 4 pages) on the exciting and crazy lives of my grandparent's mobile home residents in Tavares, FL. I rode around on my grandmother's three wheeled bicycle (basically spying on her neighbors) and recording it for posterity.  

As I grew, books and stories remained in my life. I tried to follow my mother's example. The Christmas plays were now written by my mother and myself, and the grandchildren were the performers. I read to my children and encouraged them to enjoy creating. During summer vacations, we all read one book together each night before bed. My children created worlds that they recorded on film. With their friends and cousins, they found props, made sets, wrote dialogue, and created original movies. They have grown into intelligent, loving, and curious individuals!

Now that I'm all grown up and a children's librarian, I am surrounded by stories even more. Every day I have the great privilege of sharing these stories with children in my community.

So, thanks Mom, for reading to me. I love you. Happy Mother's Day,

Diane

Random Acts of Reading

Perhaps you've heard of Random Acts of Kindness. This is a wonderful concept. Basically, people are encouraged to be kind for no reason at all, just because it feels right and spreads kindness into the world. I would like to introduce an new twist on this idea. Let's practice Random Acts of Reading. I challenge everyone to show the world that you value reading and read for no other reason than because it is fun and interesting and spreads reading into the world. To do this, I challenge you to be a reading mentor.

Perhaps some of you remember being a reading mentor in elementary school. Maybe as a 5th grader you were paired with a kindergartener and you read together. As the older student, you enjoyed the experience because the younger student looked up to you. You got to be the expert. And unbeknownst to you, you became a better reader. For it is true, the best way to master a skill is to teach that skill. Your young partner benefited because he/she felt good that you, an older student, wanted to spend time reading together. The student learned more because he/she enjoyed the experience. This was a very positive reading mentor experience.

I would also like to share a negative reading mentor experience. As a librarian I have facilitated thirteen summer reading programs. At my library, the children are invited to read for thirty days and earn a free book. The adults read one book and earn a free book. It is very simple; a log is taken home, completed, and returned for the earned prize. Parents bring their children to the library to sign up for summer reading. This is excellent, as they are involving their children in the community, exposing them to the benefits of a library, and helping to create library patrons. But what is not excellent is what I often hear when the parent is invited to join the summer reading program: "I don't have time to read."  

I am amazed every time I hear those words uttered by a parent - I don't have time to read. Perhaps some parents have forgotten that they are their child's first teacher; that their reading habits will become their child's reading habits; that if they don't value reading, their child will not value reading. I agree that life is busy. I have three kids of my own. But reading is important! Children must see their parents reading. They need to know that their parents value reading. They need to see their parents choose reading over TV, sports, talking on the phone, or using the computer.  

If you are not sure when you can squeeze in some reading time, try reading when your children are in the pool. Or maybe the children are doing homework and you are reading. Maybe everyone reads after dinner, then shares something they enjoyed from the book. If a parent is unsure what to read, my suggestion is - read something you like. If it is a romance - totally fine. A thriller - excellent. A cookbook - absolutely. A self-help book on yoga - good choice. A newspaper or magazine - perfect. Don't be snobby in your reading choices for you or your children. Let you children know that reading is fun and enjoyable, not something that is forced on them by their school teacher. Recreate the positive elementary reading mentor experience, only instead of a younger and older student, it is the parent and the child.  

Read together while you are waiting for pizza! Read together while waiting at the dentist! Read together while waiting for cookies to bake. Read jokes to each other. Read to your child. Begin in the womb and don't stop! When your child is old enough to read for her or himself, share the reading. Take turns, let her/him read to you but also read to her/him! Your child needs to hear you read. She/he needs to listen to words, as well as see and read them.

But it is not only parents who are responsible for being reading mentors. We can all be reading mentors! Sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors (you get the idea), read in random places alone or with your nephew, cousin, friend, sister (you get the idea). Show the world that you value reading! If people look at you while your are reading, meet their gaze, smile and ask what they are reading or have read recently. Tell them about your book. Don't be shy, be a proud reader! 

Choose to commit Random Acts of Reading!

Books of the Week

I have always been a big reader, ever since I was little. I used to read three or four books from the school library at a time. And with reading so many books, I have found that there are a lot of great ones, from picture books for kids to chapter books for teens and adults. Whether you are a fast reader, or a slow reader like me, check out these books of the week!

My first book of the week is for younger kids, and one that I am sure many have read or have had read to them: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. I love Dr. Seuss books and have since I was a toddler, having my mom re-read The Cat in the Hat never too many times.  Green Eggs in Ham is my all-time favorite Dr. Seuss book, for no particular reason though. I just love it. It, like many Dr. Seuss books, rhymes, which is catchy and fun to listen to for children. It also has a pretty good meaning, as well. Although I don't think that in the real world you should try eggs or ham that is green (unless purposely dyed), you should try new things, whether it be a food you have not had or a new activity. And if it's on a train or in the rain, it just adds to the experience!

My second book of the week is for teens and adults. It is called The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood. It is based on The Odyssey, but is not as old and from a different side of the story, Odysseus' wife, Penelope. I read most of The Odyssey for class in high school, and although it was neither my favorite or least favorite school book, I didn't like Penelope's character. I felt like she slept and cried too much, and didn't have an important part in the story. However, The Penelopiad, as the title suggests, is more about Penelope. It also makes her sound much more intelligent and, although not completely making Odysseus a villain, it does take away most of the heroism. It is also a much newer book than The Odyssey, so it is a lot easier to read than a book written so long ago. This is another one of my favorite books. It made me finally think of Penelope as more than just a helpless female secondary character. I am also a big fan of Greek and Roman mythologies, so if you are too, whether you have read The Odyssey or not, I definitely suggest you read this book.

Are there any books that you really enjoyed and think should be a book of the week? Comment on this post!

Flash Mob

The term flash mob is defined as a group of people mobilized by social media to meet in a public place for the purpose of doing an unusual or entertaining activity of short duration.

How about a library flash mob?! Check one out at the link below. The participants were library and book enthusiasts consisting of teens and library staff. The teens froze for one whole minute randomly in the library. One whole minute is a long time! Then there was music, dancing, and a poem:

Read, read, read a book.
Travel anywhere.
Worldwide, you decide.
A book will take you there.

Read, read, read a book.
From beginning to the end.
What a gift to give yourself.
A book a special friend.

This flash mob may meet again someday in the near future. But the poem is too short. They need a longer poem. If you would like to add a verse, please comment. Who knows, it may be used in a library flash mob near you.

Three cheers to the brave and daring flash mob participants - you are awesome!

View the flash mob on YouTube - Flash mob at East Library (http://youtu.be/IZ_cI5rMjpc)

It Does Matter

Jillian sharing stories!

It does matter. And in the past few weeks I have learned just how much it matters. I’ve struggled with writing this post because I’m not comfortable patting myself on the back. But my heart is so full, it is spilling over with gratitude. So here goes.

I will begin with a summary. I’ve been a wife for 31 years, a mom for 26 years, a librarian for 14 years, a mentor for 11 years, and a president of a nonprofit for 5 years. All of these parts of my life have brought me wonderful people, joy, love and happiness. But I have also been frustrated, I’ve wondered if what I was doing was meaningful or useful or if I was making good decisions. Did all these things mean anything? Did they matter? A question I think we all ask. Maybe you’ve thought this about your relationships or professions or volunteer work. And although it is a question often asked in frustration, it is also a helpful question. By asking it we move forward, we reexamine and correct and appreciate. But it is also a question that will not always be answered. In fact, it is often not answered. We do something nice but receive no appreciation, no thank you. Is it still worth doing? Of course, we say yes. But it can be hard doing something with no feedback. It can be frustrating not knowing if your kindness was helpful. 

Sydney & Trent sharing stories!

Boys Town students sharing stories!

Well, trust me when I say, it is! Know that; know it deep in your heart. Feel good about your kind efforts with or without feedback. This is trite but very true – doing something kind will change the world. I say this because I am confident that one day you will be able to answer that question – does it matter? For me this happened in the last few weeks. First was Mother’s Day. Then I was surprised to be named Mentor of the Year for Seminole County. Then I received some particularly meaningful compliments at the library. Then my husband and I celebrated our 31^st wedding anniversary. And then The Literacy Alliance was picked to be featured in Huffington Post as a top nonprofit for helping children! So much wonderfulness! The comments and gifts on all of these occasions from my children, mentees, their parents, friends, my husband, relatives, colleagues and others have filled my heart! I have been refueled for another 10 years or so!

Does it matter? I say yes!

Just a Reverse Blink

Being a mom has taught me a couple of things over the years. For example, I now know that warm food, showers and an alone visit to the restroom are luxuries and not to be taken for granted. I also came to understand that sometimes the wisest lessons in life come from some very unexpected places. 

Driving back from school the other day, I heard the following conversation between my two older daughters, Maya (6) and Alissa (9). 

M: I have 176 reading counting points.

A: I have 238.

M: I know somebody in my class that has only 6!

A: Some people in mine have none. Some people just don't like to read Maya.

M: WHAT???!!!! (with the biggest tone of disbelief ever!) Are they CRAZY?!

A: No… they just don't like it.

M (after a few seconds of thinking): Well, I can read with my eyes shut! 

(A few more seconds of thinking and she continues...) 

I guess if they don't like to read then they COULD read with their eyes shut so they wouldn't have to actually read. But then if they blinked then maybe they would HAVE TO read what was on the page and then they might like it. (Mind you that was all said in one single breath)

I looked at the two of them through the rearview mirror. Maya was staring out the window still in deep thought and Alissa was staring right back at me ready to burst out laughing. So we both did and Maya just looked up and said "What? It's true." Then she went on to start laughing herself. 

Later on, while relating the story to my husband, I started to think about Maya's "reverse blinking" logic. So simple, yet, so brilliant. Think about it, what does blinking when you have your eyes closed entail? Opening your eyes! And yes, sometimes all it takes is that one glimpse. That one reverse blink into a book that intrigues you, and your eyes are suddenly wide open. 

I do believe that there is a reader in each of us out there. And yes, I do think that not all readers were created equal. There are the ones who enjoy long historical novels with intricate details about each event, then those who want the quick entertaining comic strips. Some prefer magazines, others, like my crazy husband, math text books. 

When Maya started reading, she was obsessed with the Rainbow Magic fairy books. We came across them by accident while my older daughter was searching the shelves for some of her books. Now, those fairies drove me insane, the same story over and over with a slightly different character, and an oh-so-predictable ending. Yet at 5 she devoured those books, sometimes reading four or five of them in one day. Did it matter that I thought they were not the most mind engaging literacy out there? Not at all, because at the end of the day I had a child who was developing a immense love for reading. Today she reads pretty much anything that falls into her hands, she reads because she loves to, not because she has to. Today I could kiss Daisy Meadows for putting in writing the right words that kept my child engaged and fascinated.  

The point is, every child should be given the chance of a reverse blink into something that is enjoyable to them. The secret is to find out that one thing that really speaks to your child. Whether it is magic and wizardry, robot building or "Animal Grossology" you are sure to find that one writing style and topic that will reach their inner curiosity. Take them to a library, let them browse the aisles aimlessly in search of the one book calling their name. Browse magazine titles, keep an eye out for comic books of their favorite characters, and jump at the chance of finding a book on "the wildest things people eat around the world" next time they crack a joke about eating worms. Once that first spark ignites, keeping the flame going becomes a lot easier. 

One reverse blink at the right paper, that's all it takes. Simple and brilliant, as only a child could put it.

Be Free!

“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” 

― Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass, born a slave in 1818, grew to be internationally recognized as an uncompromising abolitionist, a tireless worker for justice and equal opportunity, and an unyielding defender of women's rights. Frederick was taken from his mother when only a few weeks old and abandoned by his grandmother at the age of six. However, at the age of eight, Frederick exchanged food for lessons in reading and writing. When he was a young teenager he purchased a copy of The Columbian Orator which helped him gain an understanding and appreciation of the power of the spoken and written word. He learned that the most effective means to bring about permanent and positive change was through the spoken and written word. Douglas said, "What is possible for me is possible for you."     

Claim your freedom - read!

Laps are made for reading

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”

- Emilie Buchwald

Are You Curious? We are!

Did you know that only half of all parents with children ages 3 to 5 read to them on a daily basis? This helps explain why 40 percent of students enter kindergarten behind where they should be. We know that parents have busy, demanding schedules. The Literacy Alliance wants to help!

Our goal is to put the fun back into reading. We go out into the community using creative methods, such as puppet shows, fun experiments, books with songs, and live action, to captivate our pre-K and elementary school audience. We provide dramatic readings called “booktalks” to middle and high school students. It is important to us that the children and teens participate in our programs, connect reading with fun, and leave wanting to know and read more. As developmental neuroscientist Bruce Perry said, “If children are restricted too much or told not to ask so many questions their curiosity will diminish. The less-curious child is harder to teach because he is harder to inspire, enthuse, and motivate. A less-curious child will make fewer friends, join fewer social groups, and read fewer books.” Looking at the picture to the left, are you curious as to what they are looking at? It’s a rocket! It goes really high! It’s easy to build! Want to know how? Read Stomp Rockets, Catapults, and Kaleidoscopes by Curt Gabrielson.

To ensure we all remain curious, we will be blogging highlights and discussing literacy topics that will be helpful to you. We will be posting upcoming projects and events, as well as previous events and our impact in the community! We hope you join us on our adventure in making a positive difference and empowering our youth through educational fun. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you, hearing your feedback, and maybe even motivating you to adopt one of our ideas into your own community.

Speaking of feedback, what do you think of a “less curious child”? Do you know a “less curious child”?