Supporting your child with back-to-school anxiety through reading books can be a helpful and comforting approach. Books can provide a safe space for children to explore their feelings and emotions, understand that they are not alone, and learn coping strategies. Here are some steps to support your child using books:
Choose age-appropriate books: Select books that are suitable for your child's age and reading level. Picture books can work well for younger children, while chapter books may be more appropriate for older kids.
Read together: Sit down with your child and read the books together. This creates a bonding experience and allows you to discuss any emotions or concerns that arise while reading.
Encourage open discussions: After reading each book, have open discussions with your child. Ask them how they relate to the characters or situations in the book. This can help them articulate their feelings and thoughts.
Validate their feelings: Let your child know that their anxiety is normal and understandable. Use the characters' experiences in the books to show that many children feel nervous about going back to school.
Highlight coping strategies: Look for books that offer coping strategies or examples of characters overcoming their fears and anxieties. Discuss these strategies with your child and encourage them to try some themselves.
Create a reading routine: Incorporate reading these books into your child's daily routine, especially in the weeks leading up to the start of school. Regularly revisiting the stories can reinforce the lessons and provide comfort.
Visit the school together: If possible, visit the school together before the first day to familiarize your child with the surroundings. Some books may also discuss school settings, which can be helpful in making the place feel less intimidating.
Model a positive attitude: Children often look up to their parents as role models. Express excitement and positivity about the upcoming school year, and share stories from your own experiences to show that it's a normal part of life.
Remember that each child is unique, so observe their reactions to the books and adjust your approach accordingly. If your child's anxiety persists or worsens, consider seeking professional advice from a counselor or therapist who specializes in working with children.
Relevance: By introducing real-world connections, students can see the practical applications of what they are learning. This makes the subject matter more meaningful and relevant, increasing students' engagement and motivation to learn.
Career readiness: Incorporating real-world connections helps students develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their future careers. It bridges the gap between academic learning and professional practice, making them better equipped to enter the workforce.
Problem-solving and critical thinking: Real-world scenarios often present complex and challenging problems that require critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. Engaging with such situations in the classroom helps students develop these essential skills, which are valuable in any profession.
Connection to current events and trends: Many subjects, such as economics, politics, and science, are influenced by current events and global trends. Bringing these real-world examples into the classroom enables students to better understand the context and implications of what they are learning.
Holistic understanding: Real-world connections can provide a more comprehensive understanding of a subject. It allows students to see how different concepts and topics are interconnected, leading to a deeper grasp of the subject matter.
Fostering curiosity and inquiry: Real-world examples often pique students' curiosity, encouraging them to ask questions and explore further. This fosters a love for learning and an intrinsic motivation to seek knowledge beyond the classroom.
Cultivating empathy and global awareness: Real-world connections expose students to diverse perspectives and experiences, promoting empathy and global awareness. It helps students appreciate different cultures, societal challenges, and the interconnectedness of the world.
Building networks and relationships: Integrating real-world connections can open opportunities for guest speakers, industry partnerships, and field trips. These interactions can lead to valuable networks and relationships that can benefit students in their future careers.
Adapting to change: The real world is dynamic and ever-changing. When students encounter real-world scenarios in the classroom, they learn to adapt, be flexible, and develop a growth mindset—a crucial skill for success in any profession.
Lifelong learning: By integrating real-world connections, educators instill in students the importance of lifelong learning. When students understand the relevance of what they are learning, they are more likely to continue seeking knowledge and professional development throughout their lives.
In summary, bringing real-world connections to the classroom enhances the educational experience by making learning more relevant, practical, and engaging. It equips students with the skills, knowledge, and mindset necessary to succeed in their careers and become informed, responsible, and adaptable global citizens.
Improving your reading skills is a valuable and rewarding endeavor that can benefit you in many aspects of life. Here are some tips to become a better reader:
Read Regularly: Like any skill, reading improves with practice. Set aside some time each day for reading, even if it's just for a few minutes. Consistency is key.
Choose the Right Material: Read materials that interest you and are appropriate for your current reading level. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself with more complex texts, but also ensure you understand the basics.
Expand Your Vocabulary: The more words you know, the easier it becomes to comprehend texts. Whenever you encounter an unfamiliar word, take the time to look it up and understand its meaning.
Read Aloud: Reading aloud can help improve your fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension. It also allows you to engage more actively with the material.
Practice Speed Reading: Speed reading techniques can help you process information faster, but be mindful not to sacrifice comprehension for speed. There are apps and exercises available for practicing speed reading.
Annotate and Take Notes: Underline important points, jot down questions or thoughts, and summarize key ideas. This will help you engage with the material and retain information better.
Join a Book Club or Reading Group: Discussing books with others can provide fresh perspectives and insights, and it encourages you to think critically about the text.
Read Different Genres: Reading a variety of genres exposes you to different writing styles and subject matters, broadening your overall knowledge and understanding.
Avoid Distractions: Find a quiet and comfortable environment for reading to maintain focus and concentration.
Set Reading Goals: Establish specific reading goals for yourself, whether it's completing a certain number of books per month or mastering a particular genre.
Practice Mindfulness: Stay present while reading, and if your mind wanders, gently bring your focus back to the text.
Read Across Media: Explore various reading materials, including books, articles, blogs, and e-books. Each medium has its own unique advantages and challenges.
Learn Reading Comprehension Strategies: Familiarize yourself with strategies like predicting, summarizing, questioning, and making connections to enhance your understanding.
Prioritize Understanding: It's essential to comprehend the material you're reading rather than just trying to finish it quickly. Take the time to grasp the concepts and ideas presented.
Practice, Patience, and Persistence: Improving your reading skills takes time, so be patient with yourself. The more you read, the better you'll become.
Remember that reading is not just about scanning words on a page but about immersing yourself in the world of ideas, stories, and knowledge. Enjoy the process and the journey as you become a better reader.
Conversations go along way toward supporting your child's comprehension skills. But parents be cautious. Thinking is messy. Comprehension does not follow a set of strict rules. A child's mind wanders over different sensory images, ideas, connections and questions. By sharing your thinking process about a story will show your child that there is no single interpretation of a story. Remember your child's response and ideas are as valuable as yours. Their opinions are valid, vital and a key part of developing the confidence and thoughtfulness that will make them a better reader as they grow. So as hard as it is being a parent try to listen to your child's view of the story and not correct them. Give them the space to have conversations, ideas, and growth when talking about a story . This will lead to lifelong success as a reader.
Asking beginning, middle, and end questions is a great way to help children remember and understand the different parts of a story. Here are some tips for parents to effectively ask these types of questions:
Beginning questions: These questions help children recall what happened at the beginning of the story. Some examples of beginning questions include:
Who are the main characters in the story?
Where does the story take place?
What was the problem or conflict at the beginning of the story?
Middle questions: These questions help children recall what happened in the middle of the story. Some examples of middle questions include:
What happened to the main characters in the middle of the story?
How did they try to solve the problem or conflict?
What was the most exciting or interesting part of the story?
End questions: These questions help children recall what happened at the end of the story. Some examples of end questions include:
How was the problem or conflict resolved at the end of the story?
What did the main characters learn or discover at the end of the story?
Did the story have a happy or sad ending?
When asking these questions, it's important to give your child time to think and respond. Encourage them to use details from the story to support their answers. You can also ask follow-up questions to help your child make connections and better understand the story as a whole. Keep reading. It WILL make a difference! :)
Finding the books that your child will enjoy most can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can also be a bit challenging. Here are some tips to help you discover books that your child will love:
Ask your child's interests: Start by talking to your child about their interests. This can give you a good idea of what kinds of books they might enjoy reading. For example, if your child loves animals, you can look for books about animals or nature.
Visit the library or bookstore: Take your child to the library or bookstore and let them browse through the shelves. Allow them to pick out books that catch their eye, and encourage them to read a few pages to see if they're interested.
Email somanybookstgom@gmail.com for a free reading interest survey. Ask your child pre-determined questions and we will email you a list of book recommendations customized just for your child.
As a fourth grade teacher one of my greatest hopes is that my students will have strong comprehension skills. BUT most do not. The pandemic has placed us behind on reading comprehension. Why is it so important for your child to comprehend or remember what they read?
Helping struggling readers to focus on comprehension can support them to better understand what they are reading. This can build the skills they need to become more confident readers.
Teaching comprehension strategies, such as making predictions, asking questions, and summarizing, can help struggling readers to better comprehend the material they are reading.
Supporting struggling readers to develop connections between what they are reading and their prior knowledge will increase their comprehension.
Encouraging struggling readers to read aloud can help them to process the material better and reinforce their comprehension.
Taking the time to discuss the story with struggling readers after they have read it can help to ensure that they understand the material and support them to process it further. Building deeper connections and engagement.
For tips on how to increase comprehension skills in your young reader follow us on instagram and facebook @somanybookstogrowourmind
I went back to school at the age of 50 to get my teaching degree. I got my degree, started teaching and completed a masters. The one thing that stands out to me as I work with children everyday is that we need to do a better job building a love of reading. My dream for my three daughters was that they would love to read as much as I do. So every night they would pick out a book. I would tuck them in their bed and read them a story. Sounds great! BUT I was usually so tired by that time of the day all I wanted was to read them a quick story. I wanted them to go to sleep so then I could do the 20 other things I needed to finish and hopefully get a little sleep myself. I rushed through, I did not take the time to have a conversation about the book.
I missed the benefits of reading, the opportunity to build connections, spark interest and develop comprehension skills. Now that I am a teacher I want to provide support to parents so you don't make the same mistakes as I did. With some simple steps in your nighttime stories you can foster a love of reading and build great comprehension skills.
Top 3 mistakes we make during reading
Rushing through the book
Not taking the time to do a picture walk and talk about predictions
Not stopping at key points to explore creative thinking, build engagement and create connections