It was the spring of 1968. Seven of us students from Kansas University were gleefully headed from Lawrence, Kan., to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., anticipating acting out our personal freedom fantasies during a week on the beach. That journey didn’t turn out as we had planned, but then fantasies rarely do. We headed southeast for the long journey […]
It’s a New Year, a time when many consider new resolutions, intentions and commitments. I would argue it’s also time to REconsider some of our standard practices, like the experiences we can offer to emerging readers when we read TO them and/or WITH them. The differences between these two are important, though perhaps not obvious. […]
Individuals can decide to learn something relatively complicated on their own. And left to their own devices, most folks figure out how to use available resources to make learning a relaxed, fulfilling project. Consider the following examples: Example A – A four year old watched with envy as his much taller, six-year-old brother rode his new bicycle. […]
How do folks find time for reading? Retirees or those on vacation, who seem to be able to do whatever they please whenever they like, would be expected to disappear into a book at will. They may have one book going or a half dozen scattered around their lives. Why not?! There also are others who work […]
The love of books does not come easily to children whose parents aren’t readers or whose teachers don’t include this most important whole-child goal in their instructional practice. A love of books and reading needs to be in place if we expect anyone to be able to read beyond the basics. Avid readers not only […]
I just read an article[1] about adults being led in RE-learning how to ask good questions. Questions are so important in early learning that naturally I was interested, even though the article was aimed at those in business. Then I reflected on the RE part of re-learning. The authors cited figures about the declining numbers […]
Truth is a unique thing. It is a statement of what is so. Not what might be or could be. It’s what IS. When encountering the idea of truth, I typically consider phrases like “eternal truth” and events like legal testimony and of course the (ahem) truth declarations we associate with politicians. We all operate […]
Remember book reports and posters and book talks and dioramas and all that stuff that we were assigned after having read a book for school? Some of that was fun, but much of it was assigned as a way to verify that we had in fact read a book. It was reading for a grade and […]
Just do it!* When you care enough to send the very best.** Share moments. Share life.*** These kinds of short phrases capture and solidify important messages in a single utterance that carries with it a much deeper meaning. They create a lasting, positive impression of the campaign that they represent. We have such things in […]
I’ve been reading other blogs. Almost all of them are cleverly written and insightful and offer ideas and experiences that are just a little beyond my pitiful reach. I’m enjoying being more fully educated…about anything! This morning, I encountered two blogs that were particularly poignant for me, offering a new place for me to stand in […]
