Martinsville Bulletin, Inc.
P. O. Box 3711
204 Broad Street
Martinsville, Virginia 24115
276-638-8801
Toll Free: 800-234-6575
|
|
 |
|
|
Members of the Piedmont T's Shine Club who gathered at the Woolwine Covered Bridge Festival on Saturday were (from left) Herb Read, Roger Woods, Stoneman Lawless, Charlie Miller, Ronnie Davis, John Johnson, Jason Wells, Wes Wells, Greg Clardy and Billy Burgart. |
Monday, June 22, 2009
By MICKEY POWELL - Bulletin Staff Writer
Reading books helps children develop their minds as they learn about the world, all year long.
That is why Martinsville School officials are encouraging city students and their parents to participate in the city schools’ summer reading program.
“Children that read throughout the summer gain skills and can start the new (school) year with a better understanding of language and the world,” said Courtney Reedy, the schools’ coordinator of reading programs.
Students are expected to read at least three books. Special events will be held at the schools during the first few weeks of the new school year, starting Aug. 20, for students who meet or exceed the three-book goal.
The reading program continues through Aug. 6. With the exception of the week of July 4, school libraries will be open from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays so students can borrow books.
Among the most popular children’s books are those in the Berenstain Bears, Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog series, said Pam Mason, media specialist at Albert Harris Elementary School.
One of her favorite children’s books, she said, is “Gregor the Overlander” by Suzanne Collins. It is about an 11-year-old boy who accidentally falls through a laundry vent in his New York City apartment and finds another world filled with various types of people and creatures.
Lists of books recommended for specific grade levels are available on the city schools’ Web site at www.martinsville.k12.va.us/reading2009.pdf. The lists also are available at Blue Ridge Regional Library branches, Binding Time Cafe? and The News Den.
Students can read books that are not on the lists. School officials suggest that parents help their children decide what to read.
“You know your child and his or her interests better than anyone” else, Reedy said.
Mason said it is OK for a child to read books that are a little beyond his or her skill level, as long as the books are not too challenging.
“You don’t want kids to get frustrated,” she said. “You want them to be challenged, but you don’t want to turn them off to reading” by trying to comprehend something beyond their mental or emotional capacities.
High school students in Advanced Placement or honors classes that have required readings this summer may use those books toward meeting goals of the summer reading program, said Reedy.
For students to be eligible for rewards, parents must keep a log of what their children read. The log is available on the schools’ Web site.
Students also must do projects on books they read, such as writing a report or creating a bookmark or poster. Elementary students must do a project on one book, while middle and high school students must do projects on two.
Anyone with questions about the reading program can call Reedy at 403-5699.
Mason said kids generally are eager to read when they are young, but their interest often wanes as they get older and things such as the Internet, video games, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs demand their attention.
But it is important that they continue reading for pleasure so their brains continue developing, she emphasized.
When reading, a person must imagine the characters, situations and places in a book, said Mason.
“Imagination is a wonderful thing,” she said, because “it taps parts of your brain that you ordinarily wouldn’t use” while at the same time giving readers an escape from their everyday lives.
To spur their children to make reading a habit, Mason said, parents should frequently read to their kids, as well as let the kids see them reading.
Younger “kids love it when you ham it up and make voices” for characters when reading to them, she said.
Teenagers often enjoy reading books with their parents, she added.
“If you give them a little push, they’ll take off with it” and make reading a habit for life, said Mason. |
| |
|
|
.jpg)
