Alternative Title: Why They Used to Call Me the Reading Bitch
Alternative Alternative Title: One of the Many Reasons They Used to Call Me the Reading Bitch
This blog is generally about all the ways I fuck up as a parent, or how much I hate something, or television shows I love. I get that. But as most of you know, before I was a blogging mom, I was an elementary school teacher. And while I wasn't the best, I was pretty damn good at teaching reading.
That's the reason my former colleagues used to call me "The Reading Bitch". At least, that's why I like to think they did. There might have been other reasons. Ahem.
Lately I've been writing all these articles for The Bump. Well, for the content corporation that pays me. As of this writing, none of them have actually appeared on The Bump, but they're supposed to at some point in the not-too-distant future. I think. I believe many of them are based on actual questions of Bump readers, which makes me very sad. A lot of these people should not be procreating.
Anyway, one of the more intelligent questions had to do with early literacy skills. I had to answer it the content corporate way to get paid, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. And I remembered that I have a blog where I can say whatever the hell I want. So, even though I don't normally do this, I'm going to go all ex-Reading Bitch on you guys.
Q: How do get your preschooler ready to read?
A. Back away from the flashcards, workbooks and reading curricula. In fact, burn them. Most of them suck. And even if they don't totally suck, your preschooler shouldn't be doing them. It's not developmentally appropriate. Follow these steps instead:
1. Go to the library and get some picture books. Read them to your preschooler every day. Go to back the library and get some more. Repeat until your preschooler is 18 or so.
2. Use big words, and lots of them. Kids who know a lot of words will have an easier time learning to read.
3. Play with language. Make up rhymes. Stretch words out. Say each sound separately and have kids guess the word. Literacy professionals calls this phonological awareness. Or phonemic awareness. Or phonetic awareness. It depends. You don't have to call it anything. And if it freaks you out, pick up a lot of Dr. Seuss at the library.
Sometimes I want to start a blog called, "The Reading Bitch". Thoughts? Aren't there already a million teacher blogs out there?
7 comments:
Considering the state of the educational system in America, and the apathy among kids, and the constant siren song of bullshit like Snooki and Lilo, I should think that anything that helps foster a love of reading in western society is a wonderful thing.
I love your answer! My neighbor and I were just talking yesterday about only using "real" words, and none of that baby-fied crap. Laura and I read together every night - it's her favorite treat after dinner. She's even starting to recognize letters and words - and I am SO PROUD!
@Cindy - Oh, the educational system, it depresses me. Am seriously considering "The Reading Bitch" to make me feel better.
@Caitlin - Thank you! Laura is going to be an amazing reader!
You should start the Reading Bitch Blog immediately. Like right now.
Stop reading this comment, and go buy that domain name.
Why are you still here?
Go. Blog, Reading Bitch, blog!
I read to my daughter everyday. I read her books, my books, newspapers, anything with words that I looked at all day, I read it out loud to her. She was picking out sounds and letters and words at 2. It was easy and natural.
I would so read The Reading Bitch Blog.
Read read read to your kids people!! It is the best way to help children learn.
I would highly recommend exposing kids to audiobooks as night time story telling as well. We did that with our kids and it was a huge help to our very dyslexic son.
@Tracie - Best reading comment ever! I haven't bought the domain yet because I have to do it through Blogger (I am too dumb for Wordpress) and Blogger has a bug with that right now. But I'm going to do it!
@Catootes - I like the audiobooks idea, I will have to try that.
I'm totally down with reading The Reading Bitch. And I agree with all of your superb points.
Post a Comment