Bored into Wisdom?

From the desk of Leigh Ann . . .

“Those books that I have learned most from have been those which have entertained me.  No one as yet …has been bored into wisdom.”  -Erik Haugaard – author and illustrator

As an early childhood teacher one of my utmost goals is to get children excited about reading.  I believe an enthusiastic adult who shares a quality picture book with a child is opening the door not just to enjoyment, but to literacy.

Good picture books provide a wealth of resources that create the foundation for a child as they grow into a literate adult.  If we are going to get young children excited about reading, we need to show them the pleasures that come from the experience.  I know there is a great deal of pressure to emphasize skills, prepare for assessments, and jump into a no nonsense approach to reading, but enjoyment does positively affect engagement, the desire to read, and ultimately learning outcomes.

Early childhood teachers invite children into the world of literacy by exploring:

• Literary language that broadens vocabulary and models new and exciting ways to work with words.
• Settings and experiences that give glimpses into the world around us.
• Literary forms, structure, and patterns.
• Unique styles of authors and illustrators.
• Visual imagery that comes through illustrations and the painting of mental pictures.
• Opportunities to deepen understanding by making connections between the text and real world experiences.
• Tools to make inferences, predictions, and references.
• Questioning techniques that help children follow and gain greater understanding of the text.
• Story’s message and meaning.
• Empathy and emotions that a text can create.
• Variety of responses to a book.
• Creative thinking processes.

Curriculum expectations push us to create grade level proficient readers, but this is not our ultimate goal.  We need to show our emergent readers the joy that comes from reading, so they will become readers for life.

No matter our age, books bring us the comfort of the familiar, the excitement of new possibilities, and have the power to expand our thinking.  When we read together we activate chances to problem solve, spark discussions filled with insight and discovery, and provide opportunities to build fluency in reading, writing, and speaking.  Genuine learning is a product of enthusiasm and interest.  If we help our children see reading as its own reward – it will be.