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Today's Reading News
Each weekday, Reading Rockets gathers interesting news headlines about reading and early education. Please note that Reading Rockets does not necessarily endorse these views or any others on these outside websites.
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White House Pushes Science and Math Education
The New York Times (NY)
November 23, 2009
The new "Educate to Innovate" plan will enlist companies and nonprofits, including Sesame Street, to spend money and time to encourage students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math.
The Thanks We Get: Books Old and New Give Kids Different Looks at Thanksgiving
Tulsa World (OK)
November 23, 2009
Before Thanksgiving gets lost in the crush of Christmas cheer, settle in with new and old children's books about our great American feast, turkeys, Pilgrims, and maize.
Pop-up Book Entrepreneur Dies at 88
Los Angeles Times (CA)
November 23, 2009
Los Angeles entrepreneur Waldo Hunt ushered in the modern renaissance in pop-up books when he revived the art form in the U.S. in the 1960s. Among Hunt's favorite pop-ups were David Pelham's The Human Body, a best-seller from the 1980s and Andy Warhol's Index, a book complete with pop-up tomato paste can and castle.
iDevelopment: iPods Used for Educational Purposes
Montrose Daily Press (KS)
November 23, 2009
Last winter, Olathe Elementary first grade teachers implemented a new program to improve students' reading. They recording stories, vocabulary, songs, poems, and phonics as Mp3 files and put them on iPod Shuffles. Selected students bring the iPods home and listen as they follow along with text.
LEGO Club: Where it All Comes Together
The Harvard Post (MA)
November 23, 2009
One Saturday of each month, the Harvard Public Library Children's Room assumes the aura of a child-run LEGO workshop. Children stand at the book table, their small hands intently paging through LEGO books, looking for new ideas and comparing their creations with the images on the page.
130 Alabama High Schools Score Poorly on Reading, Stumble on Bedrock of Education
The Birmingham News (AL)
November 23, 2009
A Birmingham News analysis shows that 130 public high schools either failed reading or were classified as "borderline" failing. State educators estimate that at least half of Alabama students are "struggling readers," defined as those who can't read on grade level.
Winners Named for Gates Teacher Grants
Education Week
November 20, 2009
Three school districts and one charter school consortium will receive millions of dollars from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to implement plans to reshape key aspects of the teaching profession, including evaluation, compensation, and professional development, the Seattle-based nonprofit organization announced yesterday.
Click here to register for free access to two Education Week articles each week.
Los Angeles Times
November 20, 2009
Children's books translated or imported from other parts of the globe can be, well, a bit odd. Even the beloved Roald Dahl, a widely recognized classic in the world of children's literature, can be, for many American readers, an acquired taste. Books from other places do stretch the sensibilities; if you find it important to expose your children to a wider world, consider also looking up some children's books in translation.
Author Urges Aspiring Writers to Read, Read, Read
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
November 20, 2009
Author Sara Pennypacker, a New York Times best-selling author of 11 books for children, speaks with Sarah Troetschel, 17, about her career as a writer. Pennypacker's works include the popular series "Clementine" and her continuation of the timeless "Flat Stanley" series, originally by Jeff Brown.
UK: Dyslexic Girl Wins Poetry Prize
Witney Gazette (UK)
November 20, 2009
A dyslexic youngster has won first prize in a national poetry competition. Brigid Davidson, from Chipping Norton, won first place in the Charley Boorman Poetry Competition, organized by Dyslexia Action as part of Dyslexia Awareness Week. Children aged four to 14 were asked to write about what reading meant to them.
Reading Recovery Program in TX Celebrates 15 Years
FortBendNow (TX)
November 20, 2009
Fort Bend Independent School District's Reading Recovery Program is celebrating 15 years — and Descubriendo la Lectura is celebrating 10 years — of enhancing literary skills among young people. Since its existence in FBISD, the Reading Recovery / Descubriendo la Lectura program has served more than 8,612 first-grade students who have had difficulty in learning to read and write.
Bookstore is a Beachhead in Literacy Battle
Chicago Tribune (IL)
November 19, 2009
A literacy advocacy project wants to share that love of reading through a new nonprofit bookstore in River North that is stocked with donated books that can be bought for as little as $1. The Open Books bookstore will look and operate like any other except that proceeds will fund literacy programs for children and adults in the same building. Their model is already bringing queries from literacy advocates in other cities who hope to raise awareness — and funds — in their communities.
Storywalk Helps Pave Path to School for Youngsters
Pittsburgh Post Gazette (PA)
November 19, 2009
The Storywalk event gets preschoolers involved in reading and excited about school before they walk through the doors on the first day of kindergarten. In each kindergarten classroom and outside, high school students read the preschoolers a story about an everyday hero, and an adult who holds that job was there to answer the children's questions.
Is Percy Jackson's Mythology Too Close to Harry Potter's Magic?
Los Angeles Times (CA)
November 19, 2009
As part of coverage of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief's odyssey to become a Hollywood venture, Rachel Abramowitz has a report on the similarities between two magical youngsters, one named Percy and the other named Harry.
Alternative Test May Inflate Score Gains
Washington Post (DC)
November 19, 2009
Educators say the "portfolio" tests are valuable teaching tools and fairer and more meaningful than multiple-choice tests. With more time and flexibility, students have seen their passing rates soar.
Pennyrile Plus (KY)
November 19, 2009
Ever wondered how you could help your child become a better reader? Here are few simple strategies from a local pre-service teacher that parents can use to build children's literacy skills.
(Opinion) Reading Program Worth the Time
South Coast Today (MA)
November 19, 2009
I support the good work of Reading is Fundamental, the oldest and largest children's literacy organization in the U.S., combining reading motivation and family and community involvement with the excitement of reading. RIF volunteer readers are far from celebrities, but part of our shared success was learning to love to read.
Scientific American
November 18, 2009
In his new book, Reading in the Brain, French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene describes his quest to understand an astounding feat that most of us take for granted: translating marks on a page into language. Here he answers questions such as, "What does this research tell us about how reading should be taught?" and, "What is happening in the brain of a dyslexic?"
HS Library Books Returned 51 Years Late with $1,000 Check
School Library Journal
November 18, 2009
The phrase "the check is in the mail" took on a whole new meaning for Phoenix high school librarian Georgette Bordine, who recently received a surprise package in the mail containing two books belonging to the Camelback High School library — which were 51 years overdue.
Some Danville Students Get Extra Hand with Reading
The News-Gazette (IL)
November 18, 2009
A special group of teachers have stepped into a new role. One of their main jobs — sifting through data from assessments and pinpointing areas of deficiencies by class and individual student — helps teachers focus their instruction to reach students using proven methods.
For Author, Writing Was his Great Escape
Washington Post (DC)
November 18, 2009
Anthony Horowitz was miserable as a child. But he always knew he wanted to write. Now he's the best-selling author of the adventures of 14-year-old Alex Rider, an agent for the British intelligence agency MI6. "I don't like it; I love it," he says of writing the series. "I love thinking of ideas, jokes, and action sequences."
Seniors Enjoy Story Time at Sabater
The Daily Journal (NJ)
November 18, 2009
The fourth- and fifth-graders of the Sabater Elementary School book club enjoy sharing their love of reading. But younger students don't always pay attention so well. So they invited residents of a local nursing home to a book reading. So many seniors wanted to visit the nearby elementary school, staffers said they had to limit the number of participants to the bus capacity.
Sowing the Seeds of Reading: Bookworm Gardens a Place for Learning
Sheboygan Press (WI)
November 17, 2009
A two-acre site on the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan campus mixes paths, shrubs, trees, and environmentally friendly structures with a series of about 10 reading-themed areas based on 74 different children's books. Included are titles such as Goodnight Moon, The Magic School Bus, and the currently popular, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
Q&A with Children's Literature Award Nominees
National Post (Canada)
November 17, 2009
The nominees for the Governor General's Literary Award in Children's Literature, Illustration introduce young readers to an eclectic cast of characters, including a hungry frog and a big fat momma.
School District Finds Success with Reading Skills Program
The Western News (MT)
November 17, 2009
A labor-intensive and high-accountability program, the Montana Reading First grant ended this year but has left behind infrastructure for students to continue benefiting.
