Rasco From RIF

Why So Many Faces?

March 8th, 2010

Why does it take a village to raise a reader?

 

Families, and particularly parents, have been shown as a highly significant “ingredient” in the process of children learning to read.  Research has shown for decades that children whose parents read to them will the majority of the time become more proficient readers and do better in school overall.  So why do we still have the major gaps in reading achievement between children when scores are categorized in various ways?  For one, we have not faced the hard, cold truth: many parents themselves are not proficient readers or are uncomfortable reading with a child. Sure, it  is hard for some of us to really imagine not having been read to as a child…but many were not and are not read to and those of us in positions to assist must understand that fact and respectfully work with parents and care providers who truly want the best for their children! This is all so hard to comprehend for many people, but it is a fact and one on which we must build some of our strategies.

 

We also know from those same decades of research students who report more types of reading material at home ultimately have higher scores.  Other studies have shown that communities ranking high in student academic achievement tend to have several factors in common including large numbers of books in public libraries and easy access to books throughout the community.

  

For low-income children on whom Reading Is Fundamental and numerous other literacy groups focus, the “village” needs to nurture and support both the child and the family allowing parents to maintain dignity and respect in the eyes of their children. It means indeed “many faces” need to answer the call to assist:  

 

·         by reading stories to children in child care centers or elementary schools where RIF is present and providing both books and time for motivational activities to promote the “fun’ of reading in the early years

·         as doctors, nurses and volunteers in waiting rooms read, provide a book at each well child visit and share with parents practical tips through organizations like Reach Out and Read

·         by taking a lunch hour to read with a child through Everybody Wins!

·         through making sure organizations like First Book working hard to make books affordable and available to children are receiving the help they seek.

 

Learning to read is hard work, it can even be labeled ‘tedious.’ The many faces of our community organizations as well as the individuals forming those organizations must focus on nurturing each child, providing opportunities for parents to see modeling of literacy activities…we must take this “village” so many of our children have surrounding them naturally and make it a support available to all.   You can start in your community with one of three simple steps TODAY:

 

·         Visit the RIF locator map and discover if there is a RIF program site near you;  if there is, start the inquiry process of whether you might serve the village in this way.

·         If there is no opportunity for a RIF experience, contact one of the other children’s and/or family literacy programs in your community by looking up those I have listed or one of the many others part of the village.

·         Promote the “stone soup” outcome of advocacy for children and literacy.  Just as the making of Stone Soup in the various versions we have all read promoted a “sense of community and well-being for all” we can always see through RIF sites a heightened awareness of the needs of children and the natural coming together of the village to care for its own.  You may not feel you fit as a reader but you can perhaps schedule volunteers, serve on a book ordering committee, help with setting up a book distribution, put on a funny hat and greet children as they arrive for the day the books will be distributed…take that first step, throw in a carrot or a stone, your contribution will multiply!

 

Today you are invited to become an active member of “the literacy village.”  Can you start by simply pledging you will help to improve upon this statement: 

Less than half our nation’s children between birth and five years of age have a story read to them daily by their parents/family members.

 

Please stop by today’s headquarters for Day One of Share a Story – Shape a Future Blog Tour 2010 which is found at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub and hosted by Terry Doherty;  there you will learn about other postings today you do not want to miss!  And be sure as well  to start each day this week with a stop by the main blog site for Share a Story, Shape a Future to learn about that day’s offerings, the questions you can answer in order to win book collections for a school or library and to see some great pictures!

Filed under: Children's Books, RIF Advocacy

Tags: Everybody Wins, First Book, Reach Out and Read, Reading Is Fundamental, RIF, Scrub-a-Dub-Tub, Share a Story Shape a Future, Terry Doherty