From Morocco to Mexico: Learning to teach how to read with transcultural eyes

Good news, today I found that we have recieved a $5,000 grant to support our literacy circles in Calexico. We are extremely excited to know that, this coming year we will be able to buy bilingual books, thus parents and students will have the opportunity to read significant books togther, books that will allow them to talk, discuss, and debate about their surroundings.

We know that we are still far way from fully develop critical literacy, however we are one step closer.

posted by fer on 12/20/2007 11:22 pm

Thats great! I'm excited to hear how your program helps the community.

You are right. It is sad to see that we have lost touch with storytelling. I remember growing up as a kid and having storytime at the end of the night just before bed. My sister and I would gather around as my parents would read to us. It first started out with small books, but as we got older and learned how to read, we would each take our turn and read bigger books. There is something to be said about active participation in storytelling and letting your imagination free. Just as kids do, we always were asking questions. Why did the main character do that? What's going to happen next? This is something that a television or video game can not provide.

posted by katiek on 12/21/2007 1:53 pm

two days after Xmas. I have been thinking about all the possibilities we will have reading the new books. We will begin reading "The Upside Doem Boy/El ninyo de cabeza" by Juan Felipe Herrera. This book describes the struggles of an elementary school student during his first year in a "american (the country) school. I hope the students and the families in Calexico will enjoy the text and the pictures of this excellent book. When I first read it, I felt captivated by Herrera's outstanding 'narrative' poetry. If you have time read it!!!

posted by fer on 12/28/2007 12:48 am

Your experience will hopefully help us with the literacy in the Valley. This also seems very motivating.

posted by Vanessa on 1/29/2008 6:01 pm

Getting parents to read with their children is sometimes difficult because if both parents work, they just want to come home to relax by watching their favorite t.v. show. If parents are given a bag of books to read with their child it becomes easier because the parents don't have to guess or argue with their child, over what books are appropriate to read. Setting a routine for bedtime becomes easier by ending the day with a book that the child is capable of reading. This shows the child that reading is important and that they are important as readers.

posted by catwoman on 2/11/2008 4:49 pm

Ok, since I lost my other password vanny and vanessa are the same people, me :). I was wondering if people think that A.R. is a contribution to students' literacy? Since it seems that the students are learning more repetition than actually meaningful input because they are being drilled and killed. Also, what can this type of community setting/factors contribute to creating literacy circles?

posted by Vanny on 2/12/2008 5:40 pm

I agree with the last two posters...it really is hard to find the time to read on our own, let alone finding the time to read with kids. Although, if I look back at how much time I spend watching the television (at least an hour a day) that could be spent reading a good book. The other thing that is difficult is having the interest/drive to sit and read. Soon after graduating from college, I couldn't be asked to pick up a book to read for enjoyment for 3 whole years! I was so exhausted from being fed textbook after textbook that when I was done with school I had a hard time finding out what kind of books interested me.

The one thing that helped and that I suggest to others is trying to find a book club. A group of my friends picked a book to read once a month. We would then talk about the book over dinner at someones house. We would theme the dinner to the story we read which added a fun twist to the evening. It was great to see what type of discussions we got out of it.

I think the more that we can find for ourselves to read, the more our kids will catch on to what they are missing out on. In the mean time, turn off that TV :)

posted by katiek on 2/18/2008 10:48 am

When I read this, I was reminded of sitting in my father's lap as he read me stories at night. I'm not sure the content of the story was important, but for that one moment in time, our bodies, hearts, and minds were one as we were joined together by the words and pictures.

I was reading another comment, where the family reading was done in the context of religious instruction. Undoubtedly many of our families functioned in this way. I suppose the reason for this is that religion was deemed very important. But what is more important than connecting, bonding, and being of one mind with your family members.

My husband and I both read together with our sons at night. It is actually the one time in our busy day that we are all at the same place at the same time with the same focus. Hopefully this will create a bond that not only sustains us from day to day, but throughout life.

posted by cindyandsons on 2/18/2008 4:49 pm

I do believe that in order to maximize the knowledge of students it is absolutely critical to utilize the student's culture, language, and music in the learning process. Educating students while incorporating their prior knowledge allows the teacher to teach new topics with greater ease and effectiveness. I am also concerned with the mass media world that we live in today. People are to concerned with the entertainment world that they are neglecting their acquisition of knowledge. The fact that most people do not read for enjoyment is appalling and needs to change before society is so consumed with mass media to the point that it dictates people's lives.

posted by cmoore on 2/18/2008 6:36 pm

Most comments pertain to the topic of story telling, and that it is not emphasized in schools or in other aspects either. However, when I sub in some classes at the elementary school level, 30-35 minutes is spent a day in which the teacher reads a chapter aloud to the students. While the teacher is reading the students can sit in their seats either doodling or simply relaxing. After the reading is complete the students in their groups get to discuss one important point that they remember. The students them choose a presenter and they act out that scene. It has been neat performing that exercise because the students really enjoy it.

posted by Vanny on 2/19/2008 6:00 pm

Where is this place called Calexico? I think that reading opens the doors to our minds and brings us to a place that we can all travel to together. As a little girl my parents were too busy to read to us or so it seemed. Now looking back I think it was because my parents were uncomfortable with reading. Reading to my children was the one time during the day that we could all relax together, laughing and exploring the pages of the book. Sometimes I can still hear the sounds of them laughing if I think about it. Oh how I miss those days! ds

posted by dschaefer on 2/21/2008 8:47 pm

I agree. I come from a family where the only book we had was the Spanish Bible. Fifteen minutes before bedtime, my parents would read out loud to us. Unlike other students I had no favorite book, I had no books nor a library card. Not unless you consider reading and translating bills for my parents part of reading time.

For a change I have gone to the library and selected a couple of books to read for enjoyment. I have learn that books are not borring after all, they share experiences and plenty of knowledge. One book at a time will make a difference; you will learn, increase vocabulary and communicate better.

Reading starts at home; read for yourself, read to your students ,read to your child, read to your baby, and make a difference.

P.S. I am still searching for my favorite book.

posted by joserwwe on 2/21/2008 9:37 pm

I do not have conscious memories of my parents reading to me when I was younger, although I'm sure they did. The only person I remember reading to me when I was little was my grandfather. Even today I can recall the different voices he would make when reading "Jack and the Bean stock" When I had to read books for school I found it to be a chore. Every page without a picture on it up until sixth grade seemed like torture. It wasn't until 1995 when I saw A&E's version of "Pride and Prejudice" that I picked up the book and read it on my own. Eventually my mother read the book as well and we have had many discussions over the limitations placed on women of the 19th century. From discussing with my mother, and taking my own interpretations of Jane Austen's novels, I have formed my own opinions on the matter.

It is difficult to get children to read unless they are interested in the story. This can be done through involving the child's culture or even favorite sport. Even then, a child may read a passage from a book and not understand it because he only has his interpretation. His or her thoughts never grow. This is why it is good to read with children. When parents read to or with children it helps in so many ways. The bond between parent and child grows as well as the child's understanding of the written word. Then when the book is discussed and questions are asked, a conversation that involves critical thinking occurs. It is important to get children to read, but also equally important to get their parents to read with them.

posted by MitziBerkowitz on 2/22/2008 1:22 am

I am captivated with every aspect of this piece. Its true reading needs to be meaningful and memorable to add to our experiences. This in turn will allow us to pass the gift on to generations to come. We need to read with our culture which includes who we are as individuals and a community, our music, language and heritage. I must admit looking back in my younger days I cannot recall an instant where I saw my mother or father reading literature for leisure, for that matter I do not recall them ever reading to me. Hence, at times the words came out of my mouth

posted by vblair on 2/24/2008 12:51 pm

Growing up in a single parent home with 4 other siblings. it was almost impossible for my mother to read to me as a child. As others have stated, when my mother came home from work, her unwinding time was for her to watch tv. The only reading time that I was ever exposed to was reading at school. I became so enthusiastic about reading that I would borrow books from my teachers in order to read at home. I don't remember how I acquired this one book, tales of a fourth grade nothing, but I can remember reading it over and over again.

Now, as an adult, I do not read for enjoyment anymore. Being a student and having to read so many text books, working a full time job, I really don't have the time to read for enjoyment. It's really sad how the things that you cherished as a child, you no longer look forward to as an adult.

I think parents today have a different view when it comes to reading to their children then in previous times. I have not had the opportunity to read to my own children, as I do not have any children just yet. I think that it's very important to take that time with them and take them away from television and video games. I believe reading not only exposes them to better reading, speaking, expanded vocabulary and writing, but also expands their imagination. I look forward to sharing that experience with my children one day!

posted by adominguez on 2/24/2008 1:47 pm

I absolutely love to read ! Reading is what I do in my spare time. As a child I can not remember ever reading or being read to. When I ask my mom about it she says that I was to busy and would never sit down to be read to. Sounds like an excuse to me ! I believe that my mom wasn't aware of how important reading to your child is, because to this day she laughs at the amount of books I have for my 8 month old son.

Being a child development major, I can not even tell you how important reading is in all aspects of life. It is important for everyone across the board. What is sad to me is that a lot of children in our school systems like to read but due to there situation they do not have access to books. As educators, I feel it is our job to spark the interest within these children. It is then our job to provide these students with books even if they take the book home for a couple of day.

I will never forget the book that sparked my interest in reading. Since then I have read all kinds of books. For me, I make reading a priority. I read late at night when my family is sleeping, or while my son is in the bath. It is part of who I am, and I hope that having books everywhere will light that fire within my son, and my students when I get into the classroom.

posted by kmahaffey on 2/24/2008 8:25 pm

I find reading to not only be a way to expand your vocabulary and language skills, but to also provide an opportunity in experiencing another's point of view. From reading this blog, I see that Fernando has an amazing outlook on literature and he expresses that he is not the only one! I have heard many people say that minorities (which is also the majority) do not care about education or reading for that matter. In my experiences in diverse education, I would truly have to disagree with that. When material is presented to students with acknowledgement of their background, interest, and reading styles, they are very interested. Reading as a community is something that I rarely hear of educators participating in especially in inner cities. This does not mean that it does not happen, it is just not always reported. I love the idea of having the community involved because it makes people feel welcome to participate in school matters regarding their children. While I know that the schedules of the students parents can be conflicting with programs such as these, it is nice to know that an educator has not given up and disregarded the parents that can attend. I often find my enjoyment in reading when it is a story that relates to my culture and experiences. These types of literature just seems more real to me which can grasp and hold my attention. I think that if more educators would teach the experience of reading based off of a students interest and backgrounds, it can open their minds to other type of literature where they not only learn to read for purpose, but also for enjoyment.

posted by nburrell on 2/25/2008 10:56 am

For the person asking where Calexico is, it is in California, but the most southern part touching the border of Mexico. It is a rural town that its border city is the capital of Baja California, Mexico (Mexicali). The population is almost 100% Hispanic and English Language Learners that are enrolled in the schools is over 50%. The town is unique especially when it comes to literacy, since most students are bilingual or becoming. Hope that helps :)!

posted by Vanny on 2/26/2008 6:01 pm

Reading is knowledge, reading means getting an opinion about something, reading means exploring the unknown without leaving our own homes! As a child we had quiet time after every dinner where my family and I would all read. My brother and i would exchange our mystery books (his Hardy Boys for my Nancy Drew), my brother, sister, and I all exchanged comic books. To this day my mom has saved for us our hard cover Hardy Boy and Nancy Drew novels. I cannot wait to get to her house to get these wonderful childhood memories and share them with my children. I feel that this is most important, especially for children these days, to open the floodgates of their minds and let the unknown in. What knowledge they can gain from a "good old book" and what a way for parents to communicate with their children. There is so much "bad" going on in the mass media, let's try to get kids to be kids again and not have them grow up so fast. Let's expose their minds to all the good that a book can teach. As parents let's show them what wonderful memories they can have just like my parents showed me . Read on everyone!!! Dodgers4

posted by Dodgers4 on 2/27/2008 9:34 pm

I absolutely love to read. I always have at least two books going at once, one for pleasure and one to improve or gain knowlege. I have tried very hard to instill a love for reading in my two sons Tanner, 9 and Jake 5. i have been reading to them since they were tiny. I truly belive that reading can open you up to the world, providing you with information that is important to becoming a well rounded person. i try to pick books for my sons that not only have fun and exciting plots but that also provide life lessons to making them better people. Dr. Suess was right when he said the more places you know the more places you can go. Reading is a way to travel to places unseen, it is also a way to tickle the imagination and gain knowledge. i have to say that I am truly inspired that I have a professor that carries a passion to promote reading. We need more people in the education field with the same passion. i start everyday with reading the Bible and usually end by reading something for pleasure, a habit that was instilled in me long ago and I am so glad that it stuck with me through adulthood! Congratulations on your $5000.00 grant, i am sure it will be used greatly to promote the love of books!

posted by nikkibaartman on 2/27/2008 10:02 pm

I love to read and I wish I read more. However, with my busy schedule, I rarely take the time to pick up a book. I have actually gone years without reading books, and I can say these years were most of the mundane years of my life. Not to say that reading is the cure all, but it sure helps.

This realization has come to me as I have started reading again. I thank my children and their teachers for this. Both my girls struggled with learning to read. Kindergarten, first and second grade were painful for all of us when it came to reading. They had to read or I read to them 20 minutes every day. You wouldn't think that's all that bad, but it was. My kids would moan, groan, cry and roll on the ground as they tried to read. Their teachers gave me advice on how to help them sound out the words, make it fun, what books to read, and most of all on not giving up. I'm so grateful they did. It took a while and slowly but surely they began to enjoy reading. My fourth grader, who struggled so much that we put her in a summer reading program two years ago, has read well over 15 books so far this school year. I've lost track. Some of them I have read with her, others I've read after she's gone to sleep at night. We love to talk about what's happening in the stories. We've cried over tragedies and cheered over triumphs in the books. These moments have helped open discussion about what's going on in our own lives. It's a great bonding time we may have otherwise missed. I am grateful for this and highly recommend that everyone read with their kids.

posted by kspencer on 2/28/2008 12:10 pm

Growing up I was always a big reader. I learned to read at a very young age thanks to my parents. Before that, my mom used to read to me all the time. From the age of 7, you never saw me without my nose in a book. Yes, I was one of those kids. Majoring in English Lit. was only a natural step. Yet, something happened, and I grew overwhelmed with all the various texts I had to read throughout college. At some point, I had about 7 different texts going at once. It got to where I didn't enjoy reading anymore.

After graduation, I didn't pick up a book in about 6 months. It was only on a recent vacation over the Christmas holiday, that I read an actual novel for my own enjoyment. The book had no substance, and was a little on the cheesy side. I bought it at an airport newstand, as I waited for my flight. As I read it, I found myself analyzing minimal details. By the third chapter, I had to stop, and I realized that there would be no test, there would be no 12 page analytical essay. This was just a novel that I was reading for my own personal enjoyment. Once I got on the plane, I bypassed the in flight video, and finished my novel.

It ended up being quite enjoyable...

posted by LRE on 2/29/2008 1:18 am

I like your idea of carrying a book around with you. (and not a textbook) This may have helped when my fifteen year old daughter was younger. Unfortunately, she does not enjoy reading. In her words, she

posted by KathyG on 2/29/2008 9:14 pm

This issue of reading, and the worlds it opens up, is near and dear to my heart. I am from an immigrant family. My siblings and I are the first to be born in America. My parents had what I might term an "immigrant" mentality (absolutely NO disrespect intended). They were wrapped up in housing us, feeding us, and clothing us. Nothing more. It's not that they did not love us, they did and do; however, they had a very function view of parenting. I was Never read to as a child. EVER. I had One book as a child, and I found that one. There was never any emphasis placed on reading and certainly no recreational reading in our home. I missed out on a lot! When I became a parent, I vowed to change this pattern. I began reading to my children at around 6 months (as soon as they could sit in my lap). We started with pictures in books and graduated to novels as they grew and grew. We read together up to middle grades, where they took their love of reading and developed it. The older ones (now in college) don't read as much as they used to. I hope that changes after the rigors of college have ended. My love of reading, especially reading to children, will never end. One of my favorite activities is to sit on the floor in class and have the children around me, reading and talking about books. Reading has carved a niche in my heart, mind and, I would add, soul. It's a spot that can only be filled up by books!

posted by Buddies5 on 3/ 1/2008 12:54 am

This week a group of teachers including myself are going to present at the California Association for Bilingual Educators, CABE in San Jose, California. Our presentation is based on Transcultural Literacy, which in this case has been created among Mexicali Baja California, Mexico and Calexico, California

posted by Vanny on 3/ 4/2008 5:51 pm

After reading Vanny's entry, I was reminded of my husband. He came to Claifornia from Mexico, as a young boy. He was number 7 of 8 children. The main reason his parents brought their family to California was for "oppurtunities". The first of these being educational opportunities. They put their full trust in the teachers to do what was best for their children. It was trust well placed. Out of the eight children, six have received college degrees. Two have obtained PhD's, one Master's degree, and three with under-graduate degrees. When the educational system meets the needs of ELLs along with the support of the parents, great things can be accomplished. In my husband's case, both parents still speak only Spanish. But their children are multi-lingual, multi-cultural, well educated, second generation Californians.

posted by cindyandsons on 3/ 9/2008 3:40 pm

You can make friends with bookks. Reading together can instill in children and parents conversations which can lead to family outings, explorations, in the backyard, at the park in the community. Reading toghether can instill conversations among among families, neighbors, etc . It is a joyous experience. I can wait to get started!

posted by pdawn on 3/11/2008 4:41 pm

The quote "I learned to read in my backyard, the ground was my chalkboard and a stick was my chalk" reminded me of my youth. When I was learning the English language I would take a book and climb the tree in my backyard and read sitting on a branch of the tree while leaning on another. It was quite comfortable really. My cats would keep me company and were at times annoying, wanting to be petted while I read. It is ironic that I loved to read and my two oldest children don't. When they were in juniour high, they would laugh at me when they would see me reading and state, "Mom, you read when you don't have to?" when they found out it wasn't for a class. I blame myself. I didn't read to them when they were young thinking that they read enough at school, and I was working and going to school at the same time. I was tired. It is different with my three youngest children, ages 6 and 4 (twins). They are constantly asking questions when I read to them and even though I feel the urge to tell them to just listen to the story, I have to remind myself that these questioning skills will be used when they are in school. Working as a substitute has helped tremendously in gaining knowledge of what is going on in school and this has empowered me in what type of questions to ask my children when I read to them so they gain a variety of questioning, comprehension, retelling, and summarizing skills. The six year old is gaining confidence in his retelling while the four-year-olds are in the "Why?" stage, a lot.

posted by catwoman on 3/18/2008 11:21 am

Another skill I am gaining quickly in reading to students is to read with expression. At first I felt a little foolish but seeing the experienced teachers reading to their classes and seeing first hand how the students get mesmorized into the story when this is done, has encouraged me to also become an "actor of storytelling." Each time I perform it gets easier and easier. This past week I saw my success when a fourth grade class got silent as I read, "Nachito's Teachings." I hoped that they could visualize the terror the character felt upon encountering a diamondback snake and the relief when it slithered away by the tone of my voice as I read. I seemed to work because as I finished in time for lunch one student voiced, "Is that the end?" I have carried this practice with my children and it has made a difference in how they enjoy books. When I'm in a hurry and I just read, they stop me and say, "No mom, read it like this." and they say it how I have read the book to them on previous occasions. Even my husband who would smile when he passed by on the hallway at home and saw me reading to the kids has begun reading with expression. At first they didn't want him to read to them because,"he didn't read right." I told him what he had to do. At first, he too felt foolish, but now it has become easier for him. That mental picture of him with three young ones listening to him read is priceless.

posted by catwoman on 3/18/2008 12:03 pm

You are right, not very many parents read with their kids or too their kids. We are a generation that has been manipulated by technology. Reading to kids is a great way to expand their knowledge and their vocabulary. Not every parent is able to take their child to a museum or not every community has a museum, so the best way to inform your child is through reading and having a converstation of what they have read. Reading creates a bond between child and parent, where parent learns to value the way their child is thinking and at the same time it teaches your child that others view and their view might not be the same, but a connection exist.

posted by herrera on 4/ 8/2008 5:47 pm

hi

posted by melbett on 4/ 8/2008 7:35 pm

Good News! I registered for your “Literacy, Language: Asset or Barrier?” workshop. I also registered for the RICA exam for June 14th as promised. Thank you for your guidance and preparation advice for this exam. R.Carrillo

posted by rcarrillo on 4/ 9/2008 12:46 am

It's ironic how the educational system has changed so much. I feel kids are been programmed on how to learn a new language. And the purpose of this pressure has everything to do with data and nothing to do with learning.

I agree going back to basics might be the key to helping children from our community learn a new language. By going back to basics I mean, allowing children to accept themselves and their culture. Educators should try to blend their student’s language, music and traditions to the curriculum.

Reading your blog reminds me of a personal experience that supports your views that heritage is a part of a learning process.

When I first entered kindergarten, I did not know a word of English. Unfortunately, everything around me was scary and unfamiliar. I did not like school and felt like an outsider. But I will never forget that our teacher (a former dancer) was planning a dance assembly program for the upper grades. My teacher believed it would be a great idea to add me to her program along with several of my classmates. My role was to be one of the dancers for the famous dance called “La Bamba” I immediately, found something to look forward to…practice. During practice, my classmates talked to me as they coached me on the dancing steps. Even my mother was involved with the costumes and she also befriended with several of the mothers. Overall, that event was learning and growing experience for both the parents and students. I could honestly say my teacher had one goal and that goal was to add part of our heritage to our learning environment.

posted by melbett on 4/29/2008 1:14 pm

Hello, I think that multiculturism in the educational field is a great method in discovering another person's culture. As a teaachaer or as a student I foind it amazing that one can understand the different traditions that studnets bring with them as they relocate to a different country. although, for some studtns who barely start an education in the united states or in any other country, we as people are to welcome and appreciate the different points of view of the world

posted by frank2727 on 5/13/2008 5:58 pm

Attitudes toward reading are formed early in life. Parental support is linked to long-term motivation to read. Much of the information we encounter every day is visual, so encouraging children to look at images enables them to create meaning which is important to their literacy development. Someone previously mentioned going to a museum with their children, but questioned whether everyone had access to one. How about visiting a public library?

Family and parental involvement in children's schooling and literacy activities has been shown to not only influence their attitudes about reading, but also their achievement. Reading together is a great way for children and parents to interact. This teaches the children about socialization, which of course is how Vygotsky says children construct new knowledge. It is my experience from teaching reading to first through sixth grade students in a Title I program, that most students who view themselves as readers, remember being read to often both at home and at school. If students cannot read at their current grade level, it seems they have a tendency to do poorly in other subject areas as they advance grade levels. Reading is the foundation for learning.

As we have discussed in class, it is important to tap into students' prior knowledge. I believe that when a student can connect previous experiences to new ideas then knowledge can be formed in a meaningful way. This may be through the student's culture including, their language, customs, music, etc. Communicating with family members and providing tools for the parents to assist at home if necessary is also significant. Providing books and reading activities of various levels and subjects makes it easier for students to find something that they are interested in and is appropriate for them.

Most of the Hispanic students I work with are eager to learn and like to read. Exposing all students to a multitude of books, regrdless of their reading level, is crucial. If they "like" just one book, whether they read it themselves or it is read to them, there is hope of "hooking" them, setting the foundation for future reading. Carrying a book with you is a great idea!

posted by JLR on 5/22/2008 7:33 pm

First, I believe that life is a learning experience, and once we stop learning we are truly dead even if we still go through the motions of life. Your Moroccan students taught you a beautiful lesson, for life is full of energy; it has its own rhythm. We just have to listen. Learning that life can be experienced from more than one perspective is something that some people learn as they age. Other people are lucky enough to be born knowing that there is more than one way of looking at life. Some people never take their blinders off, for they do not want to be pushed beyond their comfort zone.

It takes a special person to hear life’s rhythm and pass it on to their students. I can remember sitting through torturously long lectures where the teacher droned on. I retained none of the information so passionlessly imparted. I have always believed that in order to teach well; the teacher must be passionate and knowledgeable about the subject matter being taught. More importantly, the teacher needs to make it real for the students. We have to listen to the students. What makes them tick? The students tell us, but some teachers choose to ignore the hidden subtext.

Bards and poets have always understood the power of the communication of experiences. They personify the use of gestures, energy, and musicality to relay stories. They have entranced audiences with their impassioned storytelling for centuries. We need bards and poets in the classroom. They feel the pulse of what makes a crowd tick, and that is what enriches the learning experience. For learning, just as life, is an opportunity to experience a new concept.

Storytelling has always been a powerful tool for bringing people together. The story creates a bridge between people, for stories contain common human elements that cross cultural divides. A story ignites the imagination and creates magic. I use stories to teach language delayed preschoolers. When I read, I am bringing that story to life for them. I provide manipulatives for them to see, touch, taste, and smell. I create sound effects when appropriate. The children hang on every word. There is no better tool for teaching language than a story. The right storyteller can make a huge difference in the delivery of the story, and the right teacher can make a vast difference in the delivery and learning of language.

posted by sybilla on 5/26/2008 1:18 pm

Reading is the gateway for the mind to learn knowledge. Meaning the more you read the more knowledge you will aquire. People have said that when someone stops reading and using their minds, that someone will become "stupid", because they have stopped "excersizing" their minds. We have to keep reading, learn more knowledge everyday, to keep our minds going. Because of the mass media that is all around, people don't want to read. Children rather play video games than read a book. Before mass media family's did read together a lot. Storytime was entertainment for the family's. Now family's seem too busy or they make execues up why they don't have time to read for enjoyment.

Children are always eager to learn new knowledge and if we start at home reading to our children, they will want to read all kinds of books. Our children will become better students. They will become better readers and writers. I think that Latino students are eger to learn and read more, because they know it will lead to success. They seem limited at home, so if they can learn at school, they will want too. Most students can relate to the stories that they read, so they just keep reading. Most students who read for fun pick books that are interesting to them. Most of the books required in school are boring to the students, so they give up on reading.

As future educators, we need to find ways to understand our students better, communicate better with them. Reading is one of the best gateways to do this task. Because if they can read, they can learn how to write their own stories. A book that a student is reading, can tell a lot about that student. We need to make reading enjoyable again. Everyone should carry a book with them like Fernando does. Even when you have five or ten minutes to spare, you can read the book. No one said there was a time limit to finish a book.

posted by SLM on 5/27/2008 1:32 pm

Knowledge is power and to gain that knowledge one must read. I believe that the lesson learned is a great one. Reading for pleasure or for study enriches everyone's lives. Reading can teach us about different subjects or it can take us away to a fantasy land.

As a future educator I want my students to feel the written word. I will read to my students and when i read to them i will engage them by changing the tone of my voice in parts of the story, sound things out for them, and make reading time fun for them. Story telling can be very powerful and engaging to a student if the teacher makes story time interesting. From my own observations and expereinces, the classroom setting is not what it used to be. These days there is no time for story telling, the day is full of nothing but test taking skills and "teaching to the test". Back when i was in school, we had time for everything which included story time and as i got older story time grew to reading in groups or independently. There are ways around "teaching to the test". All it takes is patience and a creative mind.

By taking the time out to read to your children, you can go the extra mile and bring the knowledge and the power of reading to them.

posted by chayes95 on 5/27/2008 2:16 pm

I agree that people have to want to learn and that making learning apply to their cultures and what interests them helps to inspire them to continue to learn. I believe that reading holds incredible power for everyone. I have told many children that if they learn to read, they will be able to learn anything. There are books written about so many things, from gardening to making paper airplanes, about cooking and traveling. It is essential that teachers continue to develop strategies that help to encourage learning in their students. Also, it is proven that reading also has a great impact on a person’s development of comprehension, vocabulary, and writing. Reading is essential to children and needs to be promoted as such.

Catherine Tury

posted by catherine on 5/28/2008 3:51 pm

Reading has always played a key role in my life. I can still remember as a young child sitting on my grandfather's lap and having him read stories to me. When I began having my own children, my grandfather would buy them books as gifts instead of toys or video games. Their friends would often laugh or ridicule them for receiving books as presents, but even today you can still find these books at an arms reach in my library.

It has saddened me in my field work to not see exposure to reading in some classrooms. I feel the teacher's in these classrooms are doing an injustice to their students learning abilities. I have spent six weeks in a kindergarten classroom in which the only exposure to reading the students receive is a book read by the teacher. The teacher does not provide books for students to take home and read with parents. The students are allowed to "pick" books from a small basket to look at if free time is available, but at home reading is not encouraged by the teacher. The sad part of this is that the school where I am conducting my field work is the same school my own children attended for their elementary education. They always brought home a book to read as part of their daily or weekly homework assignment.

If we want to see children succeed then we must provide them with every window of opportunity to learn. I believe that good literacy skills is a key to this success. If students cannot read, we cannot expect them to develop skills in other areas such as science, math, social studies and arts. We as educators must use our resources to help put books into the hands of our students, especially those in bilingual programs that need to develop reading skills in more than one language. As an educator I will not only read to my students, but I will bring the book to life. I will encourage my students to use their imagination to take them anywhere the pages of the book allow them to go.

I believe that life is much like a book. It is full of chapters and every page you turn represents a new and endless possibility. It can be read or viewed by others, or it can just be put on a shelf to collect a lot of dust. What you choose to do with your book is entirely up to you. Fernando chose to open his book and expose his students to a wide, wonderful world of knowledge, what will you choose to do with yours?

posted by 4csmom on 5/28/2008 11:29 pm

I agree with you views on this topic. Learning comes primarly through actions and understanding. Reading is the best way to comprehend ideas. Words are concrete and their meanings never change form language to language. It has been proven that students who experience reading on a regular basis do better in school and eventually in life. Also studies have shown that as we age, we need to keep exercising our brains. Reading has improved the elasticity of the brain and in elder people it has increased their memory retention and their ability to keep functioning in a regular society. With such wonderful things that reading brings, Why would we not do it on a regular basis and teach our children the same to improvethier lives.

Jessica Macy

posted by jmacy on 5/31/2008 10:57 am

I have to agree and say that it is sad to me how we have lost the connection of storytelling. Reading was a way that my partents bonded with me while I was growing up. Even though they both worked full time, every night before bed we read together and discussed feelings and thoughts about the story. It was a way of communication and shared time toghther. Reading together is much more than bonding time, it allows ones imagination to roam free. I think that it is heathly for all people to dig deep inside to find their creative imagination. I feel that shared reading-storytelling is something that is being challenged by the media, videogames, television ext. We should push ourselves to find the time to read with each other, it is a significant part of communicating and learning.

posted by apettersen on 7/28/2008 1:30 pm

I will attempt to articulate the myriad of thoughts that have come to mind as I consider the value of storytelling. As a child I experienced numerous transitions in terms of my family dynamic and where we lived. There was one constant, reading. I learned to read early on, mostly out of a desire to keep up with my brother and as a result of time we spent reading as a family. We picked several books that we would read together out loud as a family. Each person would take a turn reading as we experienced the book together. It was something I looked forward to and can name several books we read. When my dad lived in an apartment after my parent's divorce I remember reading Bible passages out loud and talking about them on Sunday mornings when we were unable to make it to church. To this day I enjoy reading. I also do well in writing and spelling.

In my experience as a parent there have been periods where we were able to spend more time reading as a family. That time was the greatest when my son was born. I read to him before he was even born and continued throughout his infancy and preschool years. He has a great command of language and contributes to more than half of the talking that takes place in our home. For the most part, he shares stories of his daily experience. When my daughter was born we got in the habit of reading in the bed as a morning ritual as I fed my daughter. To this day if my daughter wakes up and we are still in bed she brings books to ether read or have read to her. She struggles with a mild learning disability that requires a lot of one on one attention, but her assessors are amazed at her reading and speaking ability.

As an educator of my children, I have had the privilege of reading books with them and seeing how they respond to higher level books. As I venture outside of my home and into the public school I am continuing to see the value of reading as a class. My current fieldwork experience gave me the opportunity to see a teacher use stories as a way to teach language and give them the opportunity to dialog in what was a new language for the students. One of her approaches was reading a story together. It made for a positive experience for the students. The students who were not comfortable were not forced to read out loud, but those who chose to received positive feedback. In the two weeks I was there I saw every student eventually participate in the storytelling whether it was a book or a reader's theater.

Unfortunately, the busyness of life and the temptation to succumb to the convenience of media has prevented us from spending as much time reading as I would like. I am encouraged both by reading this passage and my current experience to reestablish a habit of reading as a family. This is especially true as my son just returned from camp and has spent the last day and a half telling me about the things he did. One of his highlights was the boys gathering around the campfire and telling scary stories. It brought back memories for my husband and gave my daughter and I great enjoyment to hear how they were trying to verbally outdo each other with the content of the stories. Each of us has a perspective and a personal story that comes out when we take time to read together and discuss what we are reading.

posted by Heather on 8/ 3/2008 5:09 pm

I have found it extremely beneficial to involve a student’s culture in the teaching environment, regardless of what their heritage may be. Over the summer I had to opportunity to teach the “forgotten” students that most teachers fail to give the proper attention to due to their lack of knowledge of the English vocabulary and the behavior problems that follow. I found the most success occurred with these students when their culture was brought to light and held on an equal ground as all others. In this instance, I live and work in a predominantly white middle class suburb that holds certain values higher than others. One of the most significant examples that I found detrimental to a students growth was their inability to articulate their thoughts in English, but if they spoke in Spanish they were supposed to be warned or punished. While the focus of the class I taught was to increase the knowledge of the English language, I couldn’t imagine only allowing English to spoken to inspire thoughts among the students who have a limited knowledge of the language.

I had the opportunity to visit the homes of the students and meet with the parents to explain their student’s growth and to share with them 2 books that were to be given to the family. Both books were in Spanish and English and the students were encouraged to read to their younger siblings and parents. For many of the students, they were excited to share their knowledge of the English language to their Spanish speaking families.

posted by attackilax3 on 8/ 7/2008 2:40 pm

Dialogic Reading is an excellent way to take the reading experience to the next level. By changing the reading experience of the child from an input only to a dialogue between story teller and listener, we can foster new ideas within the child and allow them to explore knowledge in a way that is new and empowering. As this method of story telling is explored further, the listener in effect trades places with the story teller and they then become more effective story tellers. The ability to organize events into a coherent story translates to a multitude of benefits for the child. These benefits could include the improved ability to solve problems, interact socially, and percieve consequences of their daily behaviors. All of these help a child become a succesful, enriched, and empowered student.

For Snglish learners the benefits go beyond the above to include a significant development of vocabulary. Although opportunities for Dialogic Reading in English may not be available at home, the technique can be used to great effect in the classroom. I agree whole heartedly with the blog entry as well as with many of the comments that encourage making time for this type of reading during the school day. Teachers of all subjects would do well to integrate story telling into their curriculum. The benefits will be many fold.

posted by DMorgan on 8/ 7/2008 4:21 pm

Reading through Fernando's post and a great deal of the Blog made me realize that despite all of its benefits, this technological revolution has ambushed some of the basic and wholisitic customs of a child's everyday life. Most notably in this case, reading a story for everything that it is and more.

The timing for me here is actually a bit ironic. I literally got home from babysittying four of my neighbors children and witnessed them, first hand, work the DVD player, the Wii, find games and websites on the internet, and dance to thier favorite cd. (Fun night, i know :) The oldest was nine!! Spefically with the internet, but to all others it applies, I remember thinking how when I was a child I barely knew how to work the TV and how increadible it was that these kids new how to work devices that are relatively complicated for their age. Fortunately, we ended the night with what it is still my favorite babysitting past time...story time. The book for the night was The Giving Tree. Somehow reading stories outloud to children is just the most magical thing in the world to me. I would argue even that I get more out of a story then they do. To use Fernando's analogy, it is as if they give me magical glasses that allow me to read a story and experience it sa they would....with a full untainted imagination. Aside from thier barrage of questions and comments, just being apart of their imagination is such a reward.

To bring this little bedtime moment back to the discussion at hand, I think it is just genious to point out that story time should be a daily tradition for every family no matter what the make up or situation. It is juch a powerful way to promote eduction, culture, relationships, and so many more valuable assets to a childs and/or student's life. I LOVE stories because that is essential all life is. So why shouldn't the begin, middle and end of our education be imbedded in reading and creating stories?

Steve

posted by stevestag on 8/ 8/2008 1:58 am

By reading Fernando's blog, it made my beliefs that I have about reading even stronger. From the time I was a little girl, to the the present time of working with children, I have known that reading is a valuable tool. Reading is a great time for sharing precious time together, for escaping your everyday life if only just for a moment, and for language skills and acquisition as well. Story time can give two family members some cherished time together, or can be a favorite time of day between a teacher and his/her students. From my experiences of being a preschool teacher and a substitute elementary teacher, there is something special that takes place when I get to become the voice of a character in a book. Like Fernando's blog stated, "When the written text is presented as a mere recollection of letters and words, we are losing its fundamental essence: communication of experiences", this is a strong observation to keep in mind. Reading aloud has to be much more than just that. When reading to someone or to a group of students, put some life into what you are reading! Make the text come to life. Make it possible for the reader and listeners of the story to get "inside" the story. If you do this, your audience will get more out of you and the story.

posted by lkrgrl4 on 8/ 8/2008 1:45 pm

I agree with Fernando in that reading time is something that needs to be shared. In my own experiences, my 17 month old loves books and passes up other toys for them. It is so cute to see her grab a book and then pat the floor next to her for me to sit and read to her. I can't pass up those moments and feel fortunate that she wants this interaction. With all the distractions of modern day, we feel that we must nurture her love of books and reinforce the importance of not only reading but reading together. Hopefully one day she can instill this thinking to others as well.

posted by dodaniel on 8/ 8/2008 5:42 pm

Beautifully written with all the metaphors.

Any connection and bonding that parents can do with their children is going to fulfill them emotionally and in turn, help them in all matters in life. To unite the reading experience and entertainment together with the bonding experience will give the learning more impact. When your child enjoys learning and reading and relates positive experiences with the activity , parents are helping the child to develop a lifetime habit of engaged reading. I have very fond memories of my grandmother telling me a story over and over and reading classics such as "Little Women". My mother read to me and spent hours a day reading for pleasure. Reading has got to be one of the healthiest ways to escape. Stimulating the brain and traveling in your mind are a cheap price to pay for enrichment and health.

Thank you, Fernando for reminding parents that the time spent with their children will forever enrich both of their lives along with building a stronger family structure. Reading is right at your fingertips,offers a natural mental health benefit without a prescription, with a travel fare that just cannot be beat and offers a direct line to an education.

posted by Cooper on 8/ 8/2008 9:33 pm

It is so refreshing to hear a love-story between a person and their books! The love of reading seems to be a long-lost joy in present society, having been replaced with the love of electronics and technology. I am somewhat of a luddite, probably a result of my child-hood being completely deprived of television and video games. During my childhood, I hated every minute of my parent's seemingly barbaric strategy to force me to read books! But now, I thank my parents for my "deprived childhood" because, as a grown woman, I do not value television and have retained my love of reading. I, like Fernando, believe that books can be truly magical and have the power to change lives!

posted by lizzyann on 8/ 9/2008 1:06 am

Reading to children is magical, I recently had the privilege of teaching my first lesson plan to a kindergarten class I was observing. There I found out about the joys of reading to a class of children. I have no children of my own yet, nor do I have any nieces or nephews where I would have experienced this simple pleasure. I realized that these students are eager to discover everything in the world. They are excited for an adult to sit and read with them. Reading to a child make you feel like your transported to a different place, especially when you have to make all the fun, different voices and hand gestures. For students that are emerging from a diverse background and live in a cultural melting pot such as South Los Angeles, the students can find comfort in reading with their teachers, parents, family members, and peers. Reading projects like this one, sound like a wonderful tool that will enhance continual growth within families and their relationships. I am inspired that you have the compassion and insight to create a program that promotes critical thinking within a family environment by encouraging families to read with each other.

posted by cozmogirl on 11/ 9/2008 1:35 pm

When you consider how things have changed over the years, it is understood how reading could lose its importance and entertainment value. Now, television and computers invade the minds of children and adolescents making reading a thing of the past. The idea of carrying a book always, and the simple words, “do you want to read with me” are not only heart warming, but reflect a little bit of hope that the magic of reading with children is not lost. I absolutely love to read and I read to my son every chance I get. He is only two, and his attention span is minimal. However, if I can hold his attention long enough to finish a page, I consider it a success. Reading enriches the mind, increases vocabulary and is an excellent bonding experience. I love the quote you included about the earth being the chalkboard. Where there is a will, there is a way. The importance of literature begins in the home, with parents. And, it also begins with generous individuals who want to make a change in the world. :) Christina Maples

posted by CM470 on 11/13/2008 1:28 pm

It is a sad realization that reading for some families is not a priority. Growing up in my family everyone had a book in their hand. Trips to the library were frequent. My siblings and I were read to every night. Summers were spent reading as many books as we could. As an adult I have an almost compulsive need to have a book with me at all times. I share this love of books and reading with my children. Their bookshelf overflows with many different books, including bilingual books. I want to promote their Hispanic heritage, and the best way I know how is through books.

Families reading together definitely brings families closer, at least in my personal experience. It allows time for parents and children to sit together, and be engaged in imagination, thought, and conversation together. It gives parents insight into how their children view the world around them through questions and answers centered around the books they read together. It gives parents and children topics to discuss and share with each other. It empowers parents to also be their child's teacher.

Providing bilingual books for families encourages parents and children to embrace both languages. As a parent I would be comforted to know that my child would not have to "lose" their first language in order to learn English. This experience also provides a mutual learning opportunity for the parents, if they do not read in English. The children could help their parents read the English, and the parents could help their children read the Spanish.

There seem to be so many benefits from promoting family reading. It would be fantastic to see this encouraged in all schools for all students.

posted by DebDeb on 11/17/2008 2:48 pm

Recognizing the demographic shifts in California over the past decade, it is extremly important for educators to understand cultural values and norms of their students. The high desert is becomeing more and more like South Los Angeles with the growing cultural diversity. Teaching EL students in a way that is culturally appropriate promotes aculturation rather than assimilation. The most appropriate place to do this is in the home. I totally agree with the statment made about student creating bonds and having a desire to grow when they read at home with their families. In too many households education is emphasised but not carried out by parents. in the household in which this does occure it is obvious by the students grasp of information and in assesments.

posted by BeanSaintXicaknow on 11/18/2008 11:00 pm

I found this blog interesting in many different ways. How certain families do not value reading and don't implement it with their children. Personally, I really enjoy reading, so I can't justify how others do not. However, it goes on personal beliefs and bias. Some families many not think reading isn't important, due to the fact, they have jobs without reading. This could be passed on from generation to generation, and reading is something they do not enjoy.

As a child, I would love when my parents or grandparents would read to me. Young children have wild imaginations, so reading would just keep it growing. I could remember sounding out words as a kid, and trying to read from a young age. Besides that, it was time spent with my family, with no distractions. The television was off, and it was reading time.Even today, my family has designated reading time when the t.v is shut off. Sometimes we will read aloud and other times silently.

By establishing a new love of reading in the community, will only be beneficial. Reading opens many doors, not only externally, but internally. Reading gives the mind a basis to grow, by giving personal perspective to the book/texts.

Overall, reading is really important, and we as future teachers should do what we can to implement it

posted by jpuck on 11/20/2008 3:51 pm

I was lucky to have been born into a family where my parents, siblings, all loved to read, and I was surrounded by reading material. I truly believe that I might have become a gang member with ten children were it not for my love of books, reading and libraries. I am not particularly comfortable with this techie medium. I've spent three hours, several drafts which presumably are floating in cyberspace. A reading circle seems so much more civilized. If a conversation is generated, then magnificent!! We are losing the art of civilized conversation. There ought to be classes for conversation connoisseurs.

posted by Soymaria on 11/21/2008 1:37 am

In our society, being entertained through the media has taken the majority of time from individuals and families. As a child, my parents would find opportunities for us to read together or individually. My family would read scriptures together as a child every night. Every night, the TV would be turned off and other activities would stop as my parents took the time to read together. They were often met with grunts and groans as we would rather continue with our various activities. However, through their persistence, we each took turns reading. Even when my sister was just beginning to read, she would take her turn. She would pretend to read a verse or two, or would be helped along as she read. I believe that finding time to read together increased our family unity, as well as our knowledge as we continued to read. We didn't have video games growing up because my parents thought our time could be spent better. As a result, my free time was usually spent reading a book. I love to read and always have. I loved the wonderful imaginations the books were able to create for me as I read book after book.

As a parent, I am sure it would be hard to encourage a child to read or be read to if the child doesn't enjoy books. Finding books that interest the child can help a child learn and grow as they become enthralled in books. It would be harder for a child to persuade a parent to read to them if the parent feels he or she doesn't have time or has no interest in doing so. There are so many benefits to reading to your child that some parents don't realize. Being read to or with can create a bond between the child and parent because both have sacrificed time in order to read together. The child can become more confident in reading aloud as he or she learns with a parent.

posted by nroberts on 11/22/2008 8:41 am

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