Moms Inspire Learning

This Reading Research is Timeless

Just in case you haven't gotten your hands on The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease yet, Jen Robinson just wrote a complete review of the sixth edition this week. Even though it was published in 2006, it's full of research that remains so relevant today. You can find her review at Jen Robinson's Book Page.

You might also be interested in reading one of my prior posts, which has two great book recommendations for teachers:

• Why Children Are Not Reading, and What We Can Do About It 

I'd like to thank those of you who supported the National "Read to Kids" Campaign proposal! We'll see what happens during the final round of voting next week.

Have a great weekend!

Your Vote is Your Voice

Do you remember all of those anti-smoking commercials? I don't know if they're still on anymore, but boy did they leave a lasting impression.

What about all those "It's 10 pm. Do you know where your children are" commercials? Those were unforgettable too, weren't they?

Be the Acorn

"The internet cannot and should not replace a good school or public library for reference and research. They should coexist compatibly." ~excerpt from page 152 of The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease

It makes sense, doesn't it? Why, then, are so many individuals trying to do everything they can to convince everyone that the Internet can stand alone, at the expense of real books and libraries?

Literacy is the New Green

©iStockphoto/Michelle Milliman

It's hard not to like the color green, isn't it?

I'm not talking about the color of American money; I'm talking about the plush green grass that surrounds you while you sit under some shady green leaves. The sun is out, and along comes a cool breeze...

Defying Gravity in an Unethical World

©iStockphoto/craftvision

Does the heart and soul of a country trickle down from its leaders, or does it find its way up through its citizens?

Do you think it works like the water cycle, where everything circles and continues to repeat? If it does, it's going to take a lot to break out of this pattern.

We're going to have to defy gravity more than ever before.

Weeding Out the Problem

Have you pulled any weeds lately? Chances are that if you have, they're the same ones as last year. It's not easy to get to the root of the problem, is it?

Many people would urge you to battle the problem with harsh chemicals, but that type of solution only grounds the roots deeper. So, what can you do?

If it were me, I would dig deeper. Otherwise, the weeds will never go away.

7 Ways to Capture the Olympic Spirit

© iStockphoto/arne thaysen

Right now, many of the world's greatest athletes have come together to share their hopes and dreams with the world. The torch has been lit. The fire burns on, connecting us through time and space...

The most important flame at the Olympics is not one you can see, though. It's the one that burns brightly inside each athlete; and one that can burn inside each of us, if only we would let it.

Words to live by...

"Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value." ~Albert Einstein

On With the Controversy

I was going to continue on with my Chinese New Year series, but based upon the lack of comments, I'm guessing no one's finding the information all that useful. So, if you would like more information on how to link the books together, or how to extend the learning to other aspects of Chinese culture and learning, please let me know. Otherwise, that's it for this series.

Presidents' Week, Olympics, and Picture Books

It's a really busy month! Not only are Valentine's Day and the celebration of the Chinese New Year just around the corner, but so are the Olympics and US Presidents' week!

I'm just writing a quick post to give you the links to a couple of prior posts that may come in handy for you over the next couple of weeks. Here they are: