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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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Alabama Youth Reading Mark Twain to Promote Literacy
Tuscaloosa News (AL)
March 16, 2010
It was written 140 years ago by a man looking back on a childhood 30 years before that. There are no vampires or wizards — maybe a few haints and dead cats — and it's been 15 years since a big-screen movie debuted using its name. Throughout Alabama, children, big kids and families are reading or re-reading Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" as part of the National Endowment for the Arts' event The Big Read.
Local Michigan Teachers Turn to Technology to Promote Reading
Argus-Press (MI)
March 16, 2010
In past years, Samantha Lieberman was lucky if 20 or 30 students submitted hand-written reviews on books for "March is Reading Month." This year, Lieberman has Owosso Middle School students posting blogs on the books they're reading during March, and the response has been overwhelming. "I already have 100 blogs," said Lieberman, the librarian for the K-8 grades at Owosso Public Schools. "It's unbelievable."
Newbery Medal Winner Rebecca Stead on Her Book 'When You Reach Me'
Washington Post
March 16, 2010
A 2006 New York Times article -- about a man who had amnesia and kept walking up to people asking them for help -- reminded author Rebecca Stead of a man she had passed every day growing up in New York City, whom she called the laughing man. "He was this really erratic, scary guy and my kid-reaction was just terror," she said. That memory, she explained, "was the seed" for "When You Reach Me," which won this year's Newbery Medal as best children's book.
Duncan Wants 3 Ratings for Schools in Education Overhaul
USA Today
March 15, 2010
The Obama administration will ask Congress to toss out the two-tiered pass/fail school rating system of the No Child Left Behind education law and replace it with one that labels schools one of three ways: high-performing, needs improvement or chronically low-performing, according to U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan.
New Jersey Schools Brace for Governor's Next Round of Cuts
New York Times
March 15, 2010
Schools across New Jersey are bracing for what they fear will be more crippling cuts when Gov. Christie unveils his budget proposal for the coming fiscal year on Tuesday. Mr. Christie and his education commissioner, Bret D. Schundler, are expected to cut state aid to individual districts by as much as 15 percent, and reduce overall school aid for only the second time in more than a decade.
Kids' Books: This 'March Madness' is Literally Playing by the Book
Seattle Times
March 15, 2010
Think "March Madness" is all about basketball? Think again. For the second consecutive year, School Library Journal is sponsoring a "Battle of the Kids' Books." Patterned after the wildly popular March Madness, when college basketball teams vie against one another in a "bracket" scheme, the "Battle of the Kids' Books" pits 16 topnotch children's books against each other and asks popular children's-book authors to choose a winner.
Portland's Lent School Helps Disadvantaged Students Soar
The Oregonian
March 15, 2010
Educators at Lent School in Portland know they face extra challenges to get their students ready for high school. More than 85 percent of the students are poor; more than one-third speak English as their second language; most come from families who struggle at times to scrape together food, clothing and rent. But step into this little-known school of 550 kindergarten through eighth-grade students in outer Southeast Portland and prepare for a surprise.
Schools Across U.S. Grapple With Closures
NPR
March 12, 2010
In one of the largest school closures ever seen in the U.S., the Kansas City, Mo., school board approved a plan Wednesday that will shutter 26 of the district's 61 schools. Kansas City's action may have been drastic, but it's not unique. All over the country, many school districts are facing declines in both revenue and enrollment. As a result, the number of districts considering school closures this year has doubled — and is expected to double again next year.
Boston Globe
March 12, 2010
Educators in several communities south of Boston are helping to launch a new statewide initiative they hope will bring sharpened teaching skills to local classrooms. The Patrick administration last fall selected six regional partnerships to create so-called Readiness Centers, collaborative hubs that will work to enhance the quality of instruction from early childhood through higher education.
Report: Nevada Pre-Kindergarten Teachers Among Best Trained in U.S.
Reno Gazette-Journal (NV)
March 12, 2010
Nevada is among the states that require the most education and training for pre-kindergarten teachers, according to a report released Tuesday by the Pew Institute. The report advocates more uniform training to improve early childhood education, raising salaries for pre-K educators and consequently improving teacher retention.
Chicago Tribune
March 12, 2010
A child is never too young to visit the library. To hear Thom Barthelmess tell it, you should stop off on the way home from the maternity ward. "I believe that library visits can begin right away. And by right away I mean as soon as the child has arrived in the world," said Barthelmess, president of the Association for Library Service to Children, a 4,000-member division of the American Library Association. "One of the biggest areas of public library development is programming for babies."
Draft Common Standards Elicit Kudos and Criticism
Education Week
March 11, 2010
The first public draft of grade-by-grade common standards, released this morning, is being greeted with a mix of praise and skepticism, illustrating both the mounting consensus that the country needs to set higher expectations for all students and the many problems that complicate their adoption. In 62 pages, the English/language arts standards aim to "lay out a vision of what it means to be a literate person in the 21st century," able to tackle complex works of literature and nonfiction, sift critically through the masses of information available online, and marshal evidence to build compelling arguments. The draft document describes how the standards break down into skills in reading, writing, listening, speaking, and language usage. It also details specific literacy skills students need to help them understand coursework in science and in history/social studies.
Click here to register for free access to two Education Week articles each week.
Read Along as Authors Write 'Exquisite Corpse Adventure' Online
Seattle Times (WA)
March 11, 2010
For a fun kids' book experience, take a look at "The Exquisite Corpse Adventure," a "what's next" online reading experience that's being led by some of the best children's book authors and illustrators of today. The adventure can be found on the Library of Congress Web site, www.read.gov/exquisite-corpse. Started last fall by Jon Scieszka, the first National Ambassador of Young People's Literature, the story is updated every two weeks by another author and illustrator, who must figure out how to move it along. The story will end a year after it was begun.
Becker Seeking Kids for Dual Language Program
Austin American-Statesman (TX)
March 11, 2010
Becker Elementary School officials aren't having problems selling its new dual language program to families living near the underenrolled campus in South Austin. The trick is convincing Spanish-speaking families who live miles away that it's worth the trek. The Austin school district is testing a two-way dual language offering with kindergartners and first-graders at four schools starting in the fall. District officials have said the program's launch at Becker is contingent on recruitment and that the ideal mix is 50 percent English speakers and 50 percent Spanish speakers.
From Stick Figures to Sweet Flick
Philly.com (PA)
March 11, 2010
Jeff Kinney had a clear template when it came time to adapt his wildly successful Diary of a Wimpy Kid children's books to the big screen. "I went right to A Christmas Story," says the author, citing the 1983 film based on the stories of radio humorist Jean Shepherd. "In most kids' movies, the stakes are very high," says Kinney. "The world is going to end or somebody is going to die or something awful is going to happen unless the characters do such and such. In this movie the stakes are incredibly low."
Governors, State School Superintendents to Propose Common Academic Standards
Washington Post
March 11, 2010
The nation's governors and state school chiefs will propose standards Wednesday for what students should learn in English and math, from kindergarten through high school, a crucial step in President Obama's campaign to raise academic standards across the country.
Family Empowerment Day Focuses on Literacy
The Messenger Editor (SC)
March 11, 2010
Darlington County First Steps held its first-ever Family Empowerment Day for parents of preschool children and expecting parents Hartsville, South Carolina on Friday. "We're trying to engage parents because they're the first primary educators of their children. If we can get the parents excited, then we know we'll get their children," Executive Director of Darlington County First Steps Darnell Byrd-McPherson said.
Opinion: Libraries - a Dollars and 'Sense' Investment
Salisbury Post (NC)
March 11, 2010
During tough times, investing in our libraries helps build a sustainable community. According to the American Library Association, "While many community dynamics are at work, three are particularly important to building healthy and prosperous communities over the long term: economy, ecology, and equity — the three E's."
Student Promotes the Need to Read
Northeast News and Tribune (FL)
March 11, 2010
Blake O'Connor, the force behind the recent Family Literacy Night at Freedom High in Tampa, Florida, has a goal to inspire people to read. I Feel the Need to Read, a free community service event aimed at encouraging more people to read, passed the test, the 18-year-old senior said.
Health Problems Fuel Achievement Gaps, Study Says
Education Week
March 09, 2010
If educators and federal officials are serious about closing academic-achievement gaps, they need to better coordinate efforts to address the health disparities that impede learning for students from disadvantaged groups, according to a study scheduled for release today. Although the report makes dozens of recommendations for educators and policymakers at local, state, and federal levels, it calls on the U.S. Department of Education, in particular, to take a leading role in coordinating health services for children across the federal government and in developing a strategic national school health plan.
Click here to register for free access to two Education Week articles each week.
A Guide to Help You Advocate for Your Child
Washington Post
March 09, 2010
If you have ever wanted to advocate for your child's education on the school and district level but weren't sure where to start, here is a new guide by the PTA that offers a great deal of information that can help. The reference guide — which is also aimed at policymakers and advocates who want to develop legislative school reform initiatives — contains a survey of laws in every state, as well as facts, analysis and policy recommendations for family engagement legislation at the state level. Researchers have shown over and over that family engagement in a child's education matters for success.
A High-Tech Route to Smarter Kids?
Bend Bulletin (OR)
March 09, 2010
When Elizabeth Bare's third-grade students study mapping and Alaska's Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, they reference the fraying paper map tacked up at the rear of the classroom. The Buff Elementary students also spend quite a bit of time studying directions and map coordinates with the help of a software program called Kidspiration. Their fingers tap persistently on laptops and their eyes rest on the classroom's SMART board, which Bare operates with a wireless mouse and slate from the rear of the room. This is a 21st-century classroom. Teachers and administrators hope students will become as proficient in technology as they do in reading, writing and arithmetic. It's not cheap, and there's no proof that having the latest gadgets available will increase student achievement or help them pass state tests.
Opinion: Don't Let San Jose Cut Libraries by More Than a Third
Mercury News (CA)
March 09, 2010
Libraries are getting lots of press lately. They are described as "busier than ever," "thriving," and "an integral part of a community." Indeed, they are, and they are also threatened. The San Jose Public Library Department was asked to prepare for a reduction of 35.5 percent by July 1: $9.4 million less for libraries next year, with cutbacks in services to children and adults. While San Jose libraries face this budget reduction, library usage has increased 10 percent. This makes it important to address what the library does for us as a community, and what libraries mean to us.
U.S. Ed-Tech Plan Prods K-12 to Innovate
Education Week
March 08, 2010
The Obama administration urged educators and policymakers today to embrace a host of digital-learning approaches it says will make K-12 schools better, including putting a computing device in the hands of every student. "Learning is at the center of the whole plan," said Karen Cator, the director of the office of educational technology for the U.S. Department of Education, "Technology allows us to create more engaging and compelling learning opportunities for students and allows us to personalize the learning experience."
Click here to register for free access to two Education Week articles each week.
Kenosha News (WI)
March 08, 2010
Lakewood School seventh-grader Brendon Pietschman smiled when one of the first-graders he was working with in the hallway pronounced a tricky little word. "That's right," he told her. "Good job. Now keep reading." All seventh- and eighth-graders at the rural K-8 school must take Literacy in Action, a class designed to help them learn how to mentor young readers while improving their own literacy skills.
