Working Class Parenting: Motivation, Education and Inspiration For Parents

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd  grade public school teacher Fostering the Love of Reading is a 5 part series posted on Mondays, it began on November 5, 2012. Part 4 - School-age (Kindergarten - 5th grade)   It may seem that as children get older, fostering the love of reading in them gets more difficult. As the pressures of the classroom become more evident, children seem to only consume themselves with books that are required or chosen for them by a teacher. As a classroom teacher I know firsthand that there is a very important balance we must be able to keep with students if we want them to continue loving books. A love for reading can be easily suppressed with too many Reading for points programs, required leveled reading books, and/or teacher selected books for independent reading. It is our job as parents to continue to encourage a child to read for enjoyment as much as possible. Children need to know that it's not about what reading level they're on,...

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd  grade public school teacher Fostering the Love of Reading is a 5 part series posted on Mondays, it began on November 5, 2012. Part 3 - Preschool  Whether or not a child has been read to during infancy and/or their toddler years, preschool aged children are always ready to learn. Their keen sense of wonder is amazing. At this age children are now ready to begin making the connection that letters make sounds, and words on a page are read.  They will mimic what is read to them, begin making up the story to pictures on a page, and eventually memorize books in their entirety. You can find just the right book for your preschooler at the local library or at any large book store. There are books out there for every interest a child can dream up. There are books of every cartoon character or princess you can imagine.  From board books to, picture-less books, to pop-up books. They have books with wheels, buttons, ...

Guest post written by Jomary Schulz, 3 rd grade public school teacher Fostering the Love of Reading is a 5 part series posted on Mondays beginning on November 5, 2012. Part 1 – Newborn to 12 months Before a child can talk, sit up, or hold anything in their hands, they can begin their journey into books. Fostering the love of reading in a child can be reasonably easy and can begin as early as infancy. When a child begins to hear the rhythm and tone of your voice when reading, they begin picking up necessary skills needed later in life as they begin to learn how to read. Reading to a baby does not only strengthen the bond between you and the child, but you are also giving this child a gift that will carry them throughout their lifetime. Listening to reading is the first step to learning how to read and enjoying it. This is where vocabulary can begin to develop in a child. Background knowledge and interests also begin to flourish in children that are read to at a very ...