So the other day at my daughter's elementary school, a parent volunteer gave a recruitment spiel for a program called Parent-Read Program. The gist of it is parents come in and read with grade 3 children who are below grade level in reading. I love doing this and I've done it many times in the past with various teachers who set me up with some kids. This year however, with a kindergartener, there was no reading program at all in the classroom so.... This program was an organized daily thing and I was so excited about it, I went straight up to the guy directly after his spiel and told him to sign me up. He was overwhelmed at my enthusiasm and said he would put me down for September. I told him my kids were changing schools in September and was there no way I could volunteer for the rest of this year? (the date was Wednesday, May 27th and school goes until the 24th of June!) He referred me to the coordinator who was happy to have me come in Mondays, Tuesday, and Wednesdays for 20 minutes/day starting Monday. Works for me and I can read with them in English or French. Friday morning they called and cancelled me. They said the grade 3's were too busy in June to work with me. Too busy? Too busy to learn/improve their reading? Too busy to do schoolish things at school???
This is sad on so many counts:
#1 - this directive came from the principal. Where is her focus? Not on reading apparently. SAD.
#2 - I would have loved to be doing this all year long - -but didn't know about the program. The school did not advertise the program or ask for volunteers at all. I couldn't find one other parent who had heard of the program. SAD.
#3 - if the grade 3's are too busy to do any actual real school work in June - why do they even have to go to school in June? SAD.
Anyway, the fact that literacy is not a priority at my children's school really bugs me. I feel like having a pow wow with that principal. I've compiled a few quotes about literacy. Read them quick and then go get a good book and spend some time reading today and every day!
Books to the ceiling
Books to the sky
My piles of books
Are a mile high
How I love them!
How I need them!
I'll have a long beard
By the time I read them.
-Arnold Lobel
The end of reading is not more books, but more life. -George Jackson
The oldest books are still only just out to those who have not read them. - Samuel Butler
Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill." Barbara Tuchman"The reading of all good books is like a conversation with all the finest men of past centuries." Rene Descartes
The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read. Mark Twain
2 comments:
I can proudly announce that I read books!! LOL! You are right....too sad. Pathetic. I shall celebrate literacy by drawing a nice bath and soaking while I read "The Apostle" by Brad Thor.
By the way, way to run, girl!! You've got dedication and determination and I very much admire that about you.
You rock.I am not a big fan of reading unless it is something that REALLY interestes me. But... I am a huge fan of getting my kids to read. I did the reading program at the school but they stopped at the end of May, said it was just not worth it to go till the end of June.
I work hard with Christy at home with her reading and her teacher doesn't test them at school to check the reading level. It is SAD what happens in the schools sometimes.
I am thankful for all the wonderful quotes you posted.
Take care, and congrats ont 100km
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