"EATING it up," was how a boy described his young brother's reaction to learning to read in the first grade. That's what all of us wish for beginning readers, the avid, eat-it-up appetite for reading as a highly pleasurable experience. Teachers and parents alike feel it their compelling duty, a very important role, to help children experience this enjoyment of reading books.
Reading skill doesn't just spring from a child's great desire or his parent's family background. There is specific learning which must be mastered in the process. But the job of helping children is not so mysterious or so technical as some teachers and parents have been led us to believe. A mother reported she never really taught her twins how to read. "I just read to them with one sitting on either side of me. They began to choose the book and the story that they wanted to hear, find the page, say a word here and there, and all at once they started to say, 'This is sheep.' 'This is lamb.' 'This is where it says tiny kitten.'"
Or, take the case of a father who was asked by his ten year old son about plant parasites. The subject of parasites had been discussed in school; the boy was fascinated, and wanted to learn more. The father suggested that they see what they could learn about parasites in their encyclopedia. He showed his son how to locate the correct volume, and said, "Now, you see if you can find parasite, and we'll talk about it after you read what it says." Later, in reporting the incident, the father said, "I hope I'm not out of step with school methods in showing my young fellow how to use an encyclopedia." Most teachers would be overjoyed to have such excellent help from parents.
Teachers and parents can help encourage reading by using a rebus to inspire young students. Early readers can track your reading aloud. Point to the words as you speak to show how these look and also sound them out. When you cross in front of the picture in the place of a word, ask the child to "say" what he sees and then proceed to read aloud the words along with him or her. They will love to learn and play this simple game along with you. There is a translation below, but do not be surprised if your little one may mislabels the pictures just have fun and giggle together making it a positive experience.
Transportation by Maude M. Grant. Illustrated by Doris Howard
For folks to travel far and near, There must be vehicles, that's clear.
Now in the days of long ago, They had the cart and ox slow.
The ships and the flat boat too, And then the sailboats came to view.
Upon the roads in days of yore. Folks traveled with the carriage and horses.
Now we have trains traveling fast, And trolleys go darting past.
The highways are full of motor cars, At night their headlights gleam like stars.
Who'd ever think that we could fly? Yet many planes dot the sky.
And in the depths of ocean blue, The submarines are sailing too.
This little spooky ghost couldn't harm a fly, much less the creepy jack-o-lantern it has decided to make a home with...
Gourds come in all kinds of shapes and sizes and if you are fortunate enough to find a pumpkin patch during the month of October that sells dried gourds, you can make a fun painted Halloween character on one of these that won't collapse and rot at the end of the season like a pumpkin!
Certainly ghosts are popular characters around the Autumn holidays... I painted this friendly ghost as a simple gourd ghost type that any small child might like to paint. The upper half is painted white and the lower orange, if it is not already that color to begin with. This particular gourd was russety orange in the beginning so I had even less work to do in order to turn him into a grinning jack-o-lantern.
Not all gourds are sold as dried gourds for display. Children may use gourds to paint even when these have not been dried and properly polished for crafts. They will have just as much fun painting them for a Halloween party. However, these may not last till next year.
Set them aside in a dry, cool, dark room to see if these will survive without mold. Normally, it takes many months to cure gourds. To know if your gourd is properly dry it should be very light weight and it should make a rattling noise when you shake it. This is because the seeds inside have dried out as well and are hitting the inner walls of the gourd as you disturb them with a shake.
See how I used a white colored pencil to mark where I would paint on the dried gourd.
Supply List:
a dried gourd with a long narrow extended top half and a low bulbous bottom half
acrylic paints
one permanent ink marker
one white waxy pencil
Mod Podge
Step-by-Step Instructions:
First, select a gourd you think will make a proper ghost seated on top or standing above or ascending out from a jack-o-lantern beneath it. This shape as is shown on this post is perhaps one of the most common ones people will discover on a table near a pumpkin patch.
It may help greatly to draw a face on the surface of your gourd using something like a white wax colored pencil. The mistakes may be easily rubbed off if needed and the marks left can be painted over with acrylics. If you decide that you enjoy this craft; your ability to paint without pencil marks will improve over time and you will be able to make decisions without hesitation with the use of a paint brush only.
It helps to turn the gourd around, over and upside down to get a feel of how to paint it. The example give here, however, is one that young students will have immediate success with and may be used as a prototype for their first painting experience. It is important to build confidence in little artists by giving them playful opportunities in painting that they can admire small accomplishments as they progress over time.
Halfway down the gourd at the midpoint where the bulbous part of the gourd begins to expand, mark the flowing hem of the ghost's gown with a wavy line all around the circumference of the outside surface.
Paint the lower half of the gourd orange if needed.
Then turn the gourd around to find the largest wide bulge of the gourd to draw on a spooky, happy or sad jack-o-lantern expression. I then colored in the shapes of the jack-o-lantern using a permanent black ink marker. But, you can use paint just as easily for this step if you don't want your little ones running around with black marks on furniture and permanent damage to clothing!
Next paint the ghost shape white and the holes in his or her eye sockets black and add even more facial details if your wish.
Once the surface decorations have dried, brush on a layer or two of Mod Podge to protect the surface paint.
Some of these episodes may seem far removed from children's reading. They really are not. A life full of the fun of doing things and the satisfaction of sharing experience with an interested family and school group is bound to develop many powers. One of these powers is sure to be reading. Let us look at some simple happenings to see how they expand into significant learning. A girl, a little over six years of age, takes a walk regularly with her father, older brother, and sister on Sundays. She is becoming sign-conscious. She notices names on store windows and mail boxes, numbers above doors, and street signs. The other members of her family join her by chanting in unison, "546," "Fourth Street Bakery,"
Let us look at some simple happenings to see how they expand into significant learning. A girl, a little over six years of age, takes a walk regularly with her father, older brother, and sister on Sundays. She is becoming sign-conscious. She notices names on store windows and mail boxes, numbers above doors, and street signs. The other members of her family join her by chanting in unison, "546," "Fourth Street Bakery,"
Becoming sign-conscious "Dr. Blake," "Ninth Avenue North." Reaching home, she then writes down some of the signs that she recalls. She dis- plays her work to her family, who are pleased, help her correct her writing, and answer her questions on what she wishes to write next. From this free and easy family fun the child soon learns to read, write, and spell.
Older children apply their skills differently. Three neighborhood boys, their ages ranging from ten to eleven, organized a Brooklyn Dodger Fan Club. They read the sports pages of the Sunday paper, and from it clipped pictures and stories about the Dodgers. They solicited the help of older sports fans in collecting information about the team. They wrote the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers for pictures and souvenirs to put in their trophy room, located in a club member's garage. The city librarian was approached to see what materials she could offer. So was the school principal. The project received community support from adults who recognized the importance such interest had for the wholesome growth of children. Reading magazines, newspapers, and books grew to be more fun for them. Typing, printing, and writing labels became a necessary project. And filing and cataloging eventually had to be learned as their collection of materials grew.
A similar example of learning growth occurred in a rural community. Two youngsters, a brother and sister of about twelve and fourteen years of age, had been drawing, painting, and collecting flags. They became interested in gathering information about flags, their origin, and use. Their study led them to history books and encyclopedias in the school library, and to the historical society of the county. During their summer vacation, they developed a quiz program for a fall school assembly in which appeared such questions as "Where did the flag fly which inspired the writing of the 'Star Spangled Banner'?" "What was the largest number of stripes our flag ever had?" and "What is the Union Jack?"
Such pursuits as ship and airplane building, dollhouse furnishing, stamp collecting, code deciphering, radio quiz programs, and experimental cookery, when made into family interests, help promote a truly ideal atmosphere for proper learning. From such interests, children not only acquire personal satisfaction, they also come to realize the value of reading and other essential skills. The amount of knowledge they acquire is astonishing to adults, and their resourcefulness and imagination in turning up new avenues of help often put to shame more prosaic elders reared in a one book kind of learning.
Another enjoyable way to encourage reading is to find things out together. Children, if encouraged and treated understandingly, will bombard adults with questions. At two, these questions, "Why, Mommy?" "Why, Daddy?" may not mean more than, "Here I am. Talk to me." But let's be aware of the moments when a child's questions are real questions. "What makes that noise in the cleaner?" "Why don't you want any. It bothers the operator bread today?" and "Where did Aunt Sally go?" may take time and thought, but answers are essential to keep this important asking-to-learn activity growing. We can often discover how important the answer is if we have an opportunity to listen to the child's subsequent conversation. A little girl of three, when told not to play with the telephone, asked, "Why?" and her mother explained. Later that afternoon she approached a neighbor and offered this, "When you come to our house you can't use our telephone-it bothers the operator." Children ask questions seriously, and they accept sincere answers with equal seriousness.
Children's questions can get adults into some hot pursuits of information. When Jean, aged nine, asked, "How big is the largest whale alive in the sea today?" her father at first replied, "I don't know." Her brother, aged thirteen, said, "I didn't see the size mentioned anywhere." Now the subject could have been dropped at that point, but the father, who truly enjoyed finding answers for such questions, suggested a careful search be made in magazines and newspapers to see if this bit of information could be found. The hunt, which became a family project, began with scanning the tables of contents of magazines, reading headlines of newspapers, and all references to whales that live in the ocean. The answer was not immediately found, so the family agreed to keep on the lookout in future reading. This is an excellent example of an attitude toward the use of reading in living which adds so much to the zest and fun of life. As long as there is enthusiasm in finding out, life has sparkle and learning takes place. Sharing children's interests.
Young artist.
Another prerequisite for establishing a suitable atmosphere in the home is nurturing worth-while interests. Children are always interested in doing things. Very often, we adults, tired after our daily duties, are faced with youngsters who are filled with vitality and eager for new fields to conquer. "Dad, you ought to go over to Corey's with me and see the cool toboggan slide they have built there," said Rick to his father who, having trudged homeward through heavy snow, hated the idea of even walking from his comfortable chair to the supper table. But, when the father realized how important this was to his son, and remembered that he hadn't responded to any of his young son's invitations for a whole week, he said thoughtfully, "Right after supper I'll go with you and take a look." Going exploring together and sharing in fun and discovery with youngsters of all ages are excellent ways to develop worthy interests and keep within the "interest-range" of children. Those of us who are considered "old fogies" by children may not be old, but somewhere along the line we lost contact with their budding interests, and we seem out of touch with things important, their live interests.
This wholesome interest given to children's activities not only will be an important incentive to children, but also will help in understanding in a concrete way their tremendous capacity for learning. For example, a teacher listening to a boy describe a picture he had drawn of a sailboat discovered the youngster had sketched a sloop with correct rigging, and that he knew a great deal about sloops, dinghies, and schooners, far more than the teacher did. Giving a child an opportunity to talk about his knowledge and accomplishments helps him feel added success and satisfaction and it encourages more and even greater efforts.
Interest in what a child writes is important too. A boy of twelve began writing a serial of the Peck's Bad Boy type, titled The Adventures of Teddy the Terrible. Each episode was full of slapstick humor and harrowing "death-defying" escapades. At frequent intervals, the whole family was asked to listen to a new serial-plot from the writer's pen. This writing later entered the classroom, where it had a larger audience. It undoubtedly had real value in sending this boy along to satisfying reading as well as writing pursuits.
Even on the busiest days, take time to listen to children while they relate incidents. Wait for the child to finish his sentence, and then ask reason- able questions which will help him elaborate. For example, when young John rushes to the kitchen to tell his mother, "The announcer on the radio said a blizzard is coming," a quick display of interest and a further question, "Did he say when?" or "Are you sure he meant here in our section?" not only will establish a fine bond of give-and-take between mother and youngster, but also will indicate to the child that his mother is interested in his stories. Consequently, he is inclined to remain alert, and eager to share. In addition to developing good family and group relationships, such discussions are very important if we want to assure reading growth, because interest in happenings, telling and retelling them, and being challenged, make for good comprehension and a meaningful reading experience.
Similarly, when a child calls attention to a picture or article in a magazine or book, stop, look, and listen. This is reading at work in a fine fashion; therefore, recognize it as such, even if it costs a momentary interruption. Or, if an interruption at that time is too costly, say, "Wait a moment," and then, as quickly as possible, take time out to listen.
Be reciprocal: share choice items with youngsters. A father might say to his young son, "Here's something in the newspaper today about Jack's father that will interest you," and then read to him, “Mr. O. H. Daniel has been named the new scoutmaster.' "
For the younger reader, the beginner who in the middle of breakfast, quite unrelated to anything that has been said, may remark, "I can tell a capital Q from an O," such an answer as, "That's fine," is inadequate. The child wants to relate a discovery. Give him a chance; ask how. Perhaps he will even demonstrate by getting a pencil and paper, yes, to the extent of interrupting his meal, but this is a red-hot moment in learning. Take time for it.
Such incidents cannot be planned in advance, but they are too important to pass unnoticed. They help lay the groundwork for talking things over, exploring ideas together, and giving and accepting advice. They help create a wholesome atmosphere for learning.
What to do to interest youngsters in reading is not a simple one-two-three formula. But, though it is not so easy as putting a puzzle together or whipping up a batch of doughnuts, it can be a real pleasure for adults as well as for their young charges. Here are simple suggestions that may make this business of learning to read a pleasurable experience for youngsters and grown-ups alike. Most of these suggestions have to do with day-by-day living. Therefore, it is important that we are steady and consistent, starting a good plan and sticking to it. The fly-by-night parent or teacher who gets a new idea every twenty-four hours and takes time trying each one, won't be a success at helping a youngster learn to enjoy reading. Reading requires a consistent atmosphere. And adults must have patient hands and far-seeing eyes-plus a few other vital qualities.
In testing for good learning climatic conditions, let's return to that eagerness of children to find out things, to explore, to peek, to ask endless questions, in short, to keep a continuous "alert." This is the right spirit for learning, but often, even before a child is old enough for school, a damper may have been put on this insatiable appetite. A lively child gets into things, interrupts often, and annoys fussy adults. Parents, attempting to rear a good child, may have curbed so many adventures, quelled so many interests, ignored so many questions, and put an end to so many activities, that almost all signs of eagerness, curiosity, and interest have completely disappeared, and a diffident, docile child of five timidly approaches school.
Here he enters a group of from thirty to fifty other five year olds. There may be only one teacher to see that they are counted in, spend a lively morning in the kindergarten, are counted out promptly at noontime, each wearing his own hat and coat. Then the teacher may snatch a bite to eat, and rush across town to another school and another group of five year olds in the afternoon kindergarten. Obviously, the vigorous, lively youngster creates more hurdles for a teacher in such a program than does the amiable "I'll-wait-until-you-tell-me-what-to-do" type.
It is regrettable but true that we, as parents or teachers, check the very drive that stimulates learning because it is too much for us to cope with. Then we exhort, urge, and even try to compel learning after we have robbed a child of the very way in which he can learn. The problem of rekindling an enjoyment of learning after it has been dulled by unwise efforts is often a difficult one.
The child's reading successes and satisfactions are enhanced if he is living in a home where reading is not occasional fun only, but an essential feature of family living. If he attends a school where the teacher, too, is a reader, one who actually enjoys reading stories to children, enjoys looking up information, brings in interesting pictures and advertisements found in papers, and encourages her pupils to do likewise, then he is doubly assured of a happy occupation as a reader.
The whole family reads together.
All too often we act as though reading were something very important for children to learn, for use in school or on homework at home, but having no bearing on good, constructive, everyday living at home, work, or play. No wonder Carol, a youngster in the third grade, when chided by her mother for the low reading mark on her report card, said, "Why do you send me to school and make all this worry for both of us? If I stopped school, I could stop reading and then we would both be happy again." Such a response should not be treated lightly. If reading is important in living, are we, at home and in school, helping a child see its uses?
Pushing reading lessons at a child, plaguing or rewarding him with grades, scolding, nagging, and even bribing him are too often unsuccessful if we want the youngster to be an eager reader, who sits relaxed while voluntarily reading a book, or who looks up information with the avid interest of a real scholar and, of course, applies his zest for reading out of school as well as in school. To develop this type of reader, we must ourselves invest some effort in the enterprise.
It will even pay us to refrain from pressing children while we check up on ourselves; for then we may discover not only if and what we read, but under what circumstances we feel most inclined to read. The latter point is important, because children, sad but true, all too often act like adults. We will come to realize that if the home is noisy, disorganized, full of excitement, with a television or laptop adding to the general hubbub, we adults cannot settle down to a quiet period of reading. Neither can children. If we are interrupted with commands, reminders, and petty instructions, we do not feel like indulging in a quiet, pleasurable evening of reading. On the contrary, we may go to a movie as an escape. So, too, with children. If we relay a discovery made in our reading only to be told, "Old stuff. I've always known that," our ardor is dampened and we may keep ideas to ourselves, or our interest in reading may slacken. Children will react in the same way.
So, to help children get a good start in their reading growth, teachers and parents might begin by testing the reading climate of home and school.
It may be shocking, but it is true; children are eager to learn. They want to be up-to-date. Taking a toy tractor or clock apart to see what makes it go, examining the contents of Mother's pocketbook, hanging around a drugstore, and eaves-dropping on adult conversations are indications of children's eagerness to learn. To some adults, these may appear to be examples of bad behavior. Not so. They are demonstrations of ways of learning.
Furthermore, children are eager to be independent, to manage their affairs for themselves. Too often we think a child must be led step by step, dictated to constantly, and cajoled or coerced when he balks. Not if he has been properly guided and is healthy! A normal child is full of zip, eager to show his competence. He pushes off the aiding hand of his father and mother at sixteen months and tries to feed himself, or he puts on his shoes at two, or he drives a car at twelve-parents and law permitting. He will even insist on learning to read! That is, he will if the learning climate is right.
Have you observed the three year old leaning over a comic sheet spread out on the floor in front of the seven and nine year olds? He is not reading, but he wants to be a part of this seemingly important business. Or have you been amused by a toddler poring over a newspaper, even muttering jumbled sounds to himself? What he sees or thinks you may not know, but reading a newspaper (or online) is something intriguing that adults do, so he, too, practices it. Imitating the conduct of elders, parents and older brothers and sisters, is not simply a babyish or amusing act, it is a powerful force in learning. And certainly it is a powerful force in helping a child learn to read. An eleven year old boy, urged by his teacher to spend his spare time in reading rather than dawdling, said, "Well, if reading is so important, why don't you ever read around here?"
This question should make us back up a bit and examine the patterns which we, as parents and teachers, are setting before children in this matter of the use of reading. Do we demonstrate our belief in its value by looking forward eagerly to reading opportunities? Do reading materials have a regular place in our home? Do we share juicy bits, exciting findings, and points of interest with others? Or is reading such a rare experience in our lives that whenever it occurs it creates a stir, as it did for Julie? Julie rushed out of her home one Sunday afternoon to greet her two waiting pals with, "Guess what? My daddy is reading a book!" Can you recall the surprise you experienced when you discovered your teacher had to go to the encyclopedia to look up some information, or to the dictionary to look up a word? If this was true, then you were in a situation where learning through reading was a compulsory business for children, but one which was no longer required for adults.
The Parent-Teacher Series, written by Professor of Education Roma Gans, is intended for both parents and teachers. Some of the material may seem to be directed more to parents, and some more to teachers. It is hoped, however, that if each group can better understand the concerns of the other, then both will find greater understanding of the mutual task of helping boys and girls grow up successfully.
Moreover, many of the matters of maturing discussed could apply equally to home and school. Parents and teachers will find that there are clues to the solution of their problems whether the setting is the home or the school.
Other articles in this series will answer further practical questions such as these: What should we do about discipline in the home and in the classroom? What should we do about children's behavior problems? How can we answer children's questions? What is a good school day? How can parents help a child with schoolwork at home? What is meant by "modern education"? and similar problems. Editor Ruth Cunningham
READING HURDLES FOR POST-BEGINNERS Making old friends of new words. Dealing with dictionaries. Building reading interest. "I like Superman!" Sure road to discouragement. Grownups don't always help.
Part IV
CATERING TO READING APPETITES Reading is a personal affair. The "clutter" problem. A "good neighbor" policy. The growth of critics. Back to radio and fireside. The family newspaper. Learning in an adult world. Ideas for family learning. Building group interests.
Cut your flat shadow puppets using black poster board and scissors. Then mount these onto sticks.
Kids can make a shadow box puppet theater in under an hour and perform all kinds of antics by the afternoon. This activity works even better on gloomy rainy days; a wonderful camp craft on a day when the weather is not cooperating with the best made plans...
Supply List For Puppets and Shadow Box Theater:
a sturdy cardboard box
black acrylic paint
white school for decoupaging papers
black paper or fabric lace
black and white decorative paper
color decorative paper alternative in just in case you want to use it instead of the black and white
a pair of sharp scissors or an Exacto knife (Adults or teens should only be entrusted with the sharp blade!)
kitchen parchment paper (alternative might be a white cut-up sheet)
very sticky masking tape
wooden craft sticks or chop sticks for the puppets
a lamp or flashlight light source to place behind the puppet screen
Above, a small but sturdy mini puppet theater for our 18" dolls to watch our Summer Camp performances. I removed both the front and back walls before painting the little theater. Use a ruler and magic marker to measure where to cut out the front of the theater first.
Left the sids have been removed from our box theater. Center, the cardboard box "frame" is painted black and the floor at the bottom of the theater is covered with black and white faux wooden paper. The parchment paper is has also been taped in place. Right, I decoupaged a larger box with similar proportions in it's interior with decorative paper. I keep the shadow box inside of the larger box to protect it when it is not being played with. Otherwise the parchment screen might get poked through!
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Your shadow box theater can be any size you like. We made our very small so that our dolls could pretend to put on a shadow theater production for each other. Once you have the box for your theater, cut away both the front and the back sides so that only the "frame" part of the box is left to work with.
Paint the frame with black, quick drying acrylic paints.
Then glue paper lace or regular black lace across the top inside part of the theater. This creates a fancy looking theater "curtain" for any stage set.
Use the cardboard that was removed previously to make a stage floor. The floor will need several layers of cardboard to make it a bit heavier and therefore making the stage stand alone without needing to prop it upright.
Decoupage the floor by coating the cardboard with an even application of white school glue and applying the paper slowly as to remove air pockets and creases.
Now measure the opening of the stage front and cut a generous piece of kitchen parchment paper to cover the opening.
Tape this securely from the interior frame walls using masking tape.
Now make your puppets by printing out templates from our Thrifty Scissors blog or draw them yourself. These should be cut from black poster paper in silhouette shapes.
Mount the shadow puppets onto long sticks at one end using a bit of tape or glue.
Set up a light source using a lamp or flashlight positioned either behind or off to the side of the theater screen. You will see the best advantage for this light source once the overhead lights of a room are turned off. It takes a little adjustment at first to know where to put this light source.
First page by Jean Stanley, illustrated by Johnny Gruelle.
Second page by Jean Stanley, illustrated by Johnny Gruelle.
