Parents

We like to think that once our kids are reading by themselves, that we have succeeded in making them readers. After all, we have spent countless hours listening to them read, and sometimes it was pure torture. Believe me, I know! I have 2 boys and I have worked with elementary readers my entire career. Listening to kids sound out "R-u-n, D-o-g, R-u-n" is very tiring. However, I am here to tell you that your child's journey to becoming a better reader is not over just because he can pick up a book and read it to himself. There is a lot more that goes into growing a reader. As a parent, our job is to cultivate our child's love of reading, to model what a fluent reader sounds like, and to encourage them to take a chance.

Did you know that all students at GRIS have reading homework every night? Not a reading worksheet that you can check to make sure they completed. Every student is required to read for 20-30 minutes per night in a book of their choice. I have a feeling most parents do not know this. In fact, many students that come to the library admit that they don't read each night because their parents do not know they are supposed to.

I hope that you will find the time each day to have your kids read, whether it is silently or with someone in the family. Research has proven that the more you read, the more likely you are to succeed. After all, now that we have learned to read, we are reading to learn. Reading skills become more important across all subjects.Â