Guess who's coming to our Read-Aloud: Having special guests at your Read-Aloud

This post is the second in a series that began with a post on March 8, 2016, called Guess who's coming to our Read-Aloud: Finding special guests. In that blog post, we discussed how to choose, invite, inform your colleagues, etc. In this follow up, we cover planning the Read-Aloud to take advantage of this special event. 

Reading time

Having a special guest at your Read-Aloud will likely change the usual session structure. Your guest might converse with the kids longer than is typical. The activity may also take more time than usual, or you might not have time for an activity at all. These changes will affect the amount of time you'll be able to devote to reading.  
 Even if you're unsure of how much time you'll read, be sure to bring books related to the theme. It's important for the kids to see books related to the special guest's theme, because this encourages the kids to explore the subject through books if they are interested. 

If the Read-Aloud is dominated by conversation between the guest and the kids, that's completely appropriate. Building literacy entails expanding background knowledge and vocabulary. By hearing new subject area vocabulary and learning about a new topic, kids are building their background knowledge and vocabulary so they will be better positioned to enjoy reading and learning in the future.

To summarize, prepare as usual by bringing a few books that will work to read to the whole group, as well as some that would work in small groups, but don't be distressed if less reading than usual takes place.

Activity time

Sometimes, simply interacting with the guest will be your activity. Or, a hands-on activity may be the best way to let the kids experience the guest's subject. Think carefully about what kind of activity would work best with your guest. 

Activities should be interactive so they bring the subject to life. For example, when Becky, a zookeeper from the National Zoo, came to Greentree Shelter, she brought bamboo for the kids to touch. Then the kids prepared foods that the animals eat (and they could eat too!). This hands-on activity got kids engaged in thinking about the lives of animals and the work zookeepers do.

Even if your plan for the activity is for the kids to interact with the guest, bring a simple back-up activity. You never know how long a guest will speak or if an unexpected turn of events (like firefighters having to leave because of an emergency call) will cut that interaction short. 

Including your team members

Although one or two volunteers may take the lead in scheduling the guest, planning and orchestrating the Read-Aloud, all of the volunteers can help keep the kids focused and engaged. All team members should be encouraged to help with the following: 

• Look for books related to the theme,
• Brainstorm short additional activities to be used if the special guest and main activity don't use as much time as expected.
• Take photos, if allowed at your site. Send them on to TRC and to the special guest. 

Thanking the special guest

Send a thank you to your guest for coming to the Read-Aloud. In the past, we have had guests come back time and again because they had a such a great experience. Fostering a positive experience for the guest and showing our appreciation can increase the likelihood that he would be willing to come back again or to visit another site. If you were able to snap a picture with the guest and the children, or of the children engaged during the Read-Aloud, send it along with a thank-you letter to the guest. Also, at your next Read-Aloud, ask the kids sign a group thank-you card. (If you do this and wait a month, send a note from you and your fellow volunteers right away.)

Read-Aloud report

When completing your Read-Aloud report, be sure to describe how the guest interacted with the kids, what kind of activity you did, how the kids reacted and which books worked well. This will help other volunteers who might want to do a Read-Aloud on that theme, with or without a guest.

If the guest was a big hit, call or email Stephanie about her! If the guest is interested, TRC may try to coordinate another visit.

Bringing a special guest to your Read-Aloud can open up a whole world of experiences and excitement for the kids you serve. And volunteers often enjoy the visit as much as the kids.


This post was written by Rachel Fishman, TRC's AmeriCorps VISTA. 

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

Kids at heart: Celebrating Beverly Cleary at 100

"Where are the books about kids like us?"

That’s what the young patrons at the public library in Yakima, Washington asked fledgling librarian Beverly Bunn in 1939. Beverly, who had asked that question herself as a child, remembers longing for the same thing. Where are the funny stories about average boys and girls just knocking around the neighborhood? 

This question stuck with the young librarian, whom you might know as Beverly Cleary, the beloved creator of characters like Henry Huggins and Beezus and Ramona Quimby. 

Blog post author, Rachael Walker, with Ramona

Like the kids we were and many of the kids we know now, Cleary’s characters put their curiosity to work and exercise their imaginations — and then have to deal with the consequences. Often, her young characters’ good (or at least reasonable) intentions don’t turn out as expected and there are misunderstandings, especially when the adults involved see honest mistakes as silly, naughty or exasperating. 

Beverly Cleary’s books are great fun to read aloud. Each chapter can stand on its own as a funny story. These tales of everyday kids are sure to stimulate lots of laughter and knowing looks when shared with young readers.  

You’ll probably be laughing too, but what about those knowing looks? Do you see Ramona as lively and feisty or annoying and challenging? Do you have appreciation for the honesty of someone who takes one bite out of each and every apple because “the first bite tastes best"? Can you empathize with Ramona, who explains, "Because when I ask, you don't let me do things," when questioned as to why she didn’t ask if she could have a party?

Do you remember what it felt like to be smaller than everyone else?  Many grown ups really do forget what it's like to be a kid. Through Ramona, Beverly Cleary reminds us of how we wanted to be treated when we were kids.

Wanting to help.
Remember being anxious about your parents’ well-being and what you could do to get your father to be healthy and quit smoking? (Ramona and Her Father)

Wanting to learn.
Remember asking important questions, like how did Mike Mulligan use the bathroom when digging the basement of the town hall? (Ramona the Pest)

Wanting to have input. 
Remember when, as a littler person, you sometimes had to be a bit noisier and a bit more stubborn in order to be noticed? (Ramona the Pest)

Wanting to choose. 
Why shouldn’t you wear rabbit ears to the library and get to pick out your own book? (Beezus and Ramona)

Often the responsibilities of adulthood have us romanticizing our own childhoods and get us thinking that children's lives are generally idyllic and carefree. But kids in crisis are dealing with lots of problems — in addition to all the issues and worries involved in growing up. Be sure to have some appreciation for that and for kids being kids.

As Beverly Cleary turns 100 years old on April 12, make some time to read about Ramona’s antics. Enjoy her high energy and spirit! As you read and think about why someone would want to put jelly on her mashed potatoes, turn a worm into an engagement ring or bake a doll into a cake, remember: she’s just a kid.

Guest blog post by Belle of the Book, Rachael Walker.

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

Repurpose, reuse, recycle: Earth Day Read-Aloud activity ideas

In honor of Earth Day, April 22nd, here's a bonus blog post with ideas to help you plan a Read-Aloud that repurposes materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill for your activity.

Here are some ideas for activities using often-discarded items.


Bubble wrap lends itself to all kinds of crafts and games. Check out these websites for ideas to use bubble wrap to paint, sculpt, print and create animals, bugs or clouds -- all great Earth Day topics.

You can also use bubble wrap for a hoppin' poppin' dance party. That's right: put bubble wrap on the floor, turn on some music and dance! Read some books about music, dancing or noise and get dancing! The kids will love the satisfying snap the bubble wrap makes at they cut the rug.

TRC has lots of bubble wrap on hand at the office for you. Just call or email Stephanie for your supply.


Empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls can morph in to all kinds of cool stuff. Here's a TRC blog post with lots of ideas. 

For an ecology oriented Read-Aloud using tubes, find your favorite version of Jack and the Beanstalk or read Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert and then grow some seeds in a tube.

TRC has lots of TP tubes on hand at the office. Just call or email Stephanie for your supply.



Who doesn't have a drawer full of old t-shirts? With nothing but a pair of scissors, you can transform old t-shirts into tote bags. To go along with the project, read Max's Dragon Shirt by Rosemary Wells or other favorite books about clothes.  

While we're talking about bags, read a book about plastic or other non-biodegradable trash, like Eric Carle's 10 Little Rubber Ducks. Talk about why stores are trying to cut back on use of plastic bags, and then help each kid make his own reusable tote bag.

Cardboard boxes are full of creative potential. If you receive lots of boxes in the mail or have recently moved, you have all the boxes you need. Bring different sized boxes and encourage kids to make their own sculptures or city scapes, or try some of these ideas. Read books about architecture, sculpture or imagination, and let the building begin.






Galimoto tells the story of a boy who creates a toy from found objects. Your team could collect various items (wire, string, bottle caps, empty cans, plastic bottles, paperboard boxes, sticks, leaves, shells), supplement them with craft supplies at your site and encourage your kids to create toys of their own.



For ideas for books about the environment and ecology, check out these lists from PBS and A Mighty Girl.  This site also has a list devoted to children's books appropriate for Earth Day. Feel free to call TRC's office or enlist your local children's librarian to help you find just the right books.

Whether you do a Read-Aloud specifically about ecology or just use recyclable materials for your craft or activity, let the kids know that you purposefully chose an activity that repurposed materials and take time to brainstorm with them other ways to care for the planet. 

Happy Earth Day!

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

The Reading Connection opens 14th Read-Aloud program site in Silver Spring

Our newest Read-Aloud site opened on Thursday, March 10, 2016. Our program partner is the YMCA's Youth & Family Services, located at the community center at the Northwest Park Apartments in Silver Spring. The children who attend the Read-Aloud attend the JoAnn Leleck Elementary School at Broad Acres, where 95 percent of the children are eligible for free and reduced price meals.  

Eleven enthusiastic kids, ranging in age from 4 to 11, came to the first Read-Aloud. They had a great time listening to books about bears (the theme), which volunteers read to groups of kids.   

Next came a theme-related activity, which was making a small bear out of a toilet-paper tube, with the addition of construction paper eyes, ears and paws. 

Finally, volunteers helped each child choose a new book, provided by TRC, to take home.  

The Read-Aloud program is designed to bring together volunteer readers and at-risk children, with the aim of providing the children positive experiences with reading and free, new books to keep. Thank you to our great new volunteers, the staff at the Y and kudos to Stephanie Berman, TRC director of program operations, for handling all the details of the new site opening!  Happy reading! 

Guess who's coming to our Read-Aloud: Finding special guests

Considering inviting a special guest to your Read-Aloud? While there are many factors to consider and you'll need to consider more scheduling details than usual, special guests are a real plus for Read-Alouds. When planned well, a special guest at your Read-Aloud can elevate the level of child engagement and spur the kids' interest in a particular topic area. It is a great opportunity to provide lots of background knowledge and expand the real-life experiences available to the kids at your site.  

What type of special guest would be able to capture and maintain the kids’ attention throughout a Read-Aloud? Who would give the kids insight into an area to which they otherwise might not have access? What type of person might be off-limits? 

Thinking through all these issues (as well as making sure there are children's books available on the topic), is key to a successful special guest visit.

Brainstorming about special guests

When you are brainstorming about prospective guests, stay open to all types of professions or expertise. Anyone who is good with kids and has a job or skill set that lends itself to a kid-appropriate, interactive activity during the Read-Aloud can be considered. We've had reporters, chefs, athletes, artists, a bus driver and a nurse visit Read-Alouds. Maybe you have a great dentist, hair dresser or well-traveled friend who would make a great guest! Here are some examples of special guests who have previously visited Read-Alouds.

Firefighters visited ALIVE! House and taught the kids about their daily work. The kids got to tour the fire truck, try on turnout gear and learn about fire safety.




Paws To Read, a literacy program featuring dogs as reading partners, came to Columbia Grove last summer. During the visit, kids read aloud to the appreciative audience of dogs! All the local library systems have a version of this program, whose goal is to let the kids enjoy quality time with dogs while strengthening their reading confidence. Contact your library for details.  

Blues musician Chet Chandler sang with the ARHA Ruby Tucker Center kids. He provided a glimpse into his background, as well as into the history of the blues genre. The kids got a better understanding of music and had fun clapping and singing along.



A zookeeper at the National Zoo, Becky Malinsky, visited Greentree Shelter to talk to the kids about the animals at the zoo and the day-to-day work of a zookeeper. The kids made (and ate!) food for the pandas and asked questions about their favorite zoo animals.


 



These guests worked well for the following reasons: 

• they had knowledge about a topic that interests kids, 
• they could relate to the kids and
• their visit provided an opportunity for the kids to experience something new.

When brainstorming about potential guests, it's important to remember that not everyone is a good prospect. Based on previous experience, police should not be special guests at domestic violence shelters because some of the residents might be uncomfortable with their presence. 


Once you brainstorm some potential guests, search to find appropriate children's books related to the specialty. Even though having a guest at your Read-Aloud may change how much reading happens that night, you will still need a couple of related books. 

Finally, run your ideas by Stephanie. You'll need her permission to invite a guest to the Read-Aloud. She knows what specific sites allow, and she can tell you whether or not you need to get on OK from site staff. You might have a great idea, such as a naturalist who will bring snakes, but a site rule (no animals) or previous situation might mean that you won't be granted permission.   

Including your team members

Make sure to keep your fellow volunteers and site coordinator in the loop. Contact them after you’ve gotten permission from Stephanie and the site staff. It is best for you to remain the main contact and organizer so the guest isn’t overwhelmed by multiple volunteers planning with him or her. 

Contacting a special guest

Planning ahead as much as possible is key. Try to start this process at least two months early. 

When reaching out to the potential special guest, share the following information:

• The Reading Connection's mission.

• The typical Read-Aloud structure.

• Your expectations. Make the guest aware that he should be prepared to explain what he does, what makes him unique and what his field means to the kids. He should also be prepared to read a book that you'll provide.

• Facts about the site. Describe the site, its location, whether its location is confidential, logistics about arriving at the site, the number of children who usually attend and any other key information.   

• Dates. Give your prospective guest a couple of dates so that she has options. Ask her to arrive 15 minutes before the start of the Read-Aloud and to stay until the end.

Save the date

Once your guest agrees to a date, let Stephanie and your fellow teammates know the details. Also, make sure to pass along this information to the site staff (which you can do via Stephanie or your site coordinator) so that they can prepare for the guest and encourage kids (and maybe parents) to participate.

You'll want to confirm with your guest a few days before his visit to make sure he can still participate, and then reconfirm with the site staff as well.

Now that the date has been set, you can start planning the actual Read-Aloud. We'll explore that process in a future blog post.


This post was written by Rachel Fishman, TRC's AmeriCorps VISTA. 

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

We like to move it, move it!

Kids need to MOVE! It doesn't matter whether they've been snowed in or sitting all day at school. Including movement in every Read-Aloud gets blood circulating, bringing oxygen to the brain and helping kids stay engaged. Movement also makes many kids more comfortable. And it’s fun! 

Here is a collection of our favorite movement ideas from previous blog posts, plus a couple of new ideas.

Bubble Wrap Dance Party

That's right: put bubble wrap on the floor, turn on some music and dance! TRC has lots of bubble wrap on hand at the office for you to use at your next Read-Aloud. 

Read some books about music, dancing or noise and get dancing! The kids will love the satisfying snap the bubble wrap makes at they cut the rug.



Yoga

Some days, you might be looking for a more serene option than a bubble popping dance party. Why not try yoga? Have the kids take five or six deep breaths, stretching their hands high on the inhale and rounding their hands back to "heart center" during the exhale. That kind of movement works wonders in calming down a group of kids. 

For more kid-friendly yoga moves, here are some poses that elicit group movement and concentration: 
• Use these yoga warm-ups to imitate things kids are familiar with. such as a tree and a pea.  
• Finish with a seated position so kids are ready to listen to a story right after finishing.

For more detailed instructions on how to incorporate yoga in your Read-Aloud, check out this blog post or TRC's Volunteer Central (search for "yoga" under Read-Aloud themes).


Energizers

One of our favorite sources of movement activities is a book entitled Energizers!  88 Quick Movement Activities that Refresh and Refocus by Susan Lattanzi Roser. Many of these activities have accompanying videos online so you can see how they work in action. 


To see some of our Energizer favorites, including "Tootie-Tah," "Go Bananas!" or "Dum Dum Dah Dah," check out this blog post.

Active Themes


Another way to get the kids moving is to choose a Read-Aloud theme that is active by its very nature. Try a Read-Aloud about soccer, running, dance or ninjas. Even a Read-Aloud about cooking or painting gets hands and brains working. Or look for books related to your theme that encourage movement and get the kids moving to them while you read. 





Move at every Read-Aloud

Include movement in any Read-Aloud, regardless of theme, with the following:  

• Encouraging kids to act out the stories read 
• Playing charades based on words or characters from the books you’ve read or
• Singing theme-related songs with movements or finger movements to help the little ones get the wiggles out. 

Incorporating movement into your Read-Aloud in any way will improve the experience for the kids. It will meet their physical needs, allowing them to enjoy listening to stories, and demonstrate to them that reading doesn't always have to be a sedentary activity.

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.

And the winner is...Making sense of children's book awards

Last month the children’s book community held its early morning version of Oscar night. The American Library Association (ALA) announced its annual youth media award winners, with the glittering gold Newbery medal awarded to Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña, and the gilded Caldecott medal to Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear, illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Thanks to these awards, these books will experience a big bump in exposure and find more readers than ever.

When it comes to deciding what books to share with the young readers in your life, there is so much to choose from! The process can be intimidating and confusing, even for folks who are experts in this area. But if you can become familiar with the players in this field, you’ll be able to find great titles and guide your young readers to the very best in children’s books.

So who really knows children's books?

Trust librarians

Newbery Award

Librarians are an excellent resource for finding any book. But they are particularly good at sniffing out the best ones and then spreading the word about them. The librarians of the American Library Association present the best-

Caldecott Award

known and most prestigious awards for children’s books. This includes the Newbery Medal, which is annually awarded to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children, and the Caldecott Medal, which is awarded annually to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. 

The ALA also annually presents the following important, more focused awards:

The Coretta Scott King Book Awards, honoring outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. The author award winner this year was Rita William-Garcia for Gone Crazy in Alabama. The illustrator award went to Bryan Collier for Trombone Shorty.

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The (Pura) Belpré Medal, honoring a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose works best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. The 2016 author award went to Margarita Engle for Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir. The illustrator award went to Rafael López for Drum Dream Girl.

The (Theodor Seuss) Geisel Medal, honoring the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished contribution to the body of American children’s literature known as beginning reader books published in the United States. This year's winner was Don’t Throw It to Mo!, written by David Adler and illustrated by Sam Ricks.

The (Robert F.) Sibert Informational Book Medal, honoring the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published. The award this year went to Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.

The Schneider Family Book Awards, honoring an author or illustrator for a book that embodies an artistic expression of the disability experience for child and adolescent audiences. The Schneider award for last year went to A Boy and A Jaguar by Alan Rabinowitz, Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin and Girls Like Us by Gail Giles for children's book, middle school and teen book, respectively. The 2016 award has not been given yet.

The current year's Newbery, Caldecott, Belpré, Sibert and Geisel Award and Honor books are included in the ALA’s Notable Children's Books list, which identifies the rest of the best of the best in children's books. The honor books are the "runners up" for the main award, and you'll know them by their silver or black stickers.

All of these award-winners are selected by committees of librarians who have spent an entire year reading as many books as they possibly can.

Trust kids

Librarians aren’t the only ones who can pick out great books. There are lots of book awards made each year by kids! Teachers and librarians often nominate the titles that kids ultimately choose from, but kids do get to voice their choice!

The Children’s Choice Book Awards is the only national book awards program where kids and teens select the winners.

Virginia Reader’s Choice is one of many U.S. Reader's Choice Awards by State that get kids reading, evaluating and voting for favorite books.

Trust your instincts

Take a look at lots of books. Spend some time in the children’s section of the library or bookstore and page through books with and without shiny stickers. Get a feel for what you like, but keep in mind that a book that received a shiny sticker back when you were a child may not have the same appeal to kids today.

And as you come across a great book, share it! What’s on your “Best of” (or even “Worst of) list? Can't you see the headline now “The Best Read-Aloud Books of 2016” by The Reading Connection?

Guest blog post by Belle of the Book, Rachael Walker.

To receive credit for this online training, please fill out the form here.