The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease Book Study

Summer Book Study

I would first like to thank Vanessa Levin over at PreK Pages for the invite! I would also like to thank Scott from Brick by Brick for the insightful review of Chapter 1 (& the intro). If you haven't read it already go and check it out! Scott even offers more research to back the data found in The Read Aloud Handbook ! 

I know when this invite popped up in my bloglovin reader last week,  it wasn't a personal invitation but one meant for everyone who came across it and took an interest. 

But I was drawn in! From first glance! I thought, "Wow, they want me to participate in this book study?" I quickly purchased the book on Kindle so I could have it "right then" and I started reading...

"Wow! Just Wow! (I've been reading Lily's Purple Plastic Purse, Henkes w/ my daughter.)

I had been spending the last five weeks (essentially) pursuing blogs, exploring teachers stores, and setting up my own blog. As a Reading interventionist it took a lot of time and personal consideration before I choose my niche (for now). 

After eight years of teaching literacy intervention grades K-6, I had a lot of choices. I could also include my glorious battle of parenting a gifted child and a child with a plethora of learning challenges. Even still, I could include my newest (parent driven) passion of research on differentiated instruction. 

After a very trying spring; with the passing of the most amazing teacher I will ever meet (I love you Gram- I'll carry you with me always!) and the realization that my daughter was going to need a very unique education, I was almost spent! 

Then I came across this open invitation that felt God sent. I was sucked into Jim Trelease's :"no-nonsense-just the facts" craft. I love the reference to our nation's campaign against smoking and yet the government's inability to do the same with parents and communication/reading with their child. They want  to blame the public education system and force more testing  for accountability. But how far has that gotten us? 

Instead of focusing on the why of this problem, I'm choosing to focus on the what! What am I going to make a difference? How can I become part of a solution?  

I've been inspired to make a proposal to my administration that would support parent involvement, include parents as partners in education and supply resources and tools for them to use. 

I realize that this first chapter was intended to explain the importance of reading aloud. While it certainly got that job done, there was just an underlying message that "hit home" with me. And I have a feeling the rest is going to be just as inspirational!