Guest Post via @wmjackson: Reading is Fundamentally Fun and Powerful

Reading is Fundamentally Fun and Powerful
by William (Coach) Jackson and Nancy (Fancy Nancy) Rentz (Media Specialists)

“There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots; the other, wings.” Hodding Carter

The celebration of reading is special — storybooks ranging from the Cat In The Hat, High School Musical, Clifford The Big Red Dog, Naruto, Star Wars, Captain Under Pants, Spiderman, Billy Goat Gruff, Skippy John Jones, Ramona Quimby, and other novels open doors to imagination for youth, teens, and young adults.

Reading role models like Natalie and her mom Angie Nixon have books for girls that struggle with their hair like “Adventures of Moxie McGriff” https://www.facebook.com/moxiemcgriff/. Taylor Richardson and her mother are advocates for books and other literature in STEAM and STREAM — Science Technology Reading Engineering Arts Math. https://www.facebook.com/astroStarBright/

Latonja S Richardson and Vincent Taylor with the award-winning Corn Bread Series https://www.facebook.com/vincent.taylor.100

Students in grades Pre-K to fifth should be reading to experience the joy, excitement, engagement, and imagination gained from reading diverse books. All learning embraces reading that opens doors to the imagination as a lifelong value and direct impact on future success academically and career choices. Reading has the inclusiveness of all ages even infants in the celebration of literature.

Involving the community brings about change in mentalities and values. Community involvement is critical to the success of all students, they must have reading mentors and role models. Parents should be seen reading, newspapers, novels, comic books, the Bible and diverse literature. Children will copy what they see the adults in their lives do.

The libraries in and out of schools are a parade through the neighborhoods and provide an opportunity for the community to see great successes in literature. Books are the key to sparking imagination, dreams and looking up to see what is never impossible or implausible.

Mrs. Nancy Rentz AKA Fancy Nancy encourages reading and the beauty of language development for children. As a Media specialist of over 20 years, she encourages parents to get books in their children’s hands to the point where if they do not have one they really miss it.

Train a child that learning can be fun and to apply that learning to real-world experiences. Too many do not know how to navigate a store because they are not taught how to, the same with books, they need to be taught that books need them and they need books.

Encourage parents to promote reading at home. Reading embeds in youthful minds that they are capable of graduating high school and attending colleges, vocational education and even owning their own businesses. Children need to see their parents, relatives, and friends reading to see themselves as readers.

This takes the phrase, “It takes a village to raise leaders” to a new level of accountability because readers are leaders. “Reading is Fundamental” to the success of all students, from infant to toddlers, to elementary ages, to rising middle school students of graduating high school students.

National and district reading scores have shown that early success in reading leads to academic success, from elementary school to high school, and influences higher education and career success.

Students that are reading on grade level are more likely to graduate high school and enroll in college. Learning is continuous, comprehensive and can be made fun. Students should be taught to take advantage of every moment to learn, to apply their learning and encourage their peers to read and learn.

Looking at the joy and excitement of the written word — the pure desire to become great readers and given the opportunity to show what they (students) know when the time comes to begin the process of graduating, finding internships, scholarships or start careers.

Reading is fundamental to not to just academic success, but career and economic success and stability.

William Jackson, M.Ed.
Teacher DCPS

Originally published at edumatch4education.com on August 20, 2018.