What Can I Do to Help?

You might be wondering, as we approach the end of the first nine weeks, what you can do to help your reader do better.  While Mrs. Montero and Mrs. Nash are really excited and proud to see improvements in many young readers already, we know 4th grade reading can be HARD.

Here are some things you can do to help your child on their reading comprehension tests.

1.  Each time a grade comprehension test comes home, help them to revise every item they missed, even if they earned an A!  Some of our most powerful learning in life comes from our mistakes, and reading comprehension tests are no different.  When revising, read through the entire passage with your child first.  Then, discuss ALL of the answer choices and how we know they are right or wrong.  Constantly refer back to the clues in the text, knowing that some clues are clearly stated and others are scattered throughout the text.

2.  Ensure that your child is reading for 20 minutes or more each night.  No, we are not telling you to get out the timer and start counting pages and minutes again.  We are reminding you that reading is the single most powerful practice available.  Research and experience tells us that readers who really and truly are reading every single day (Yes, that means weekends, too.) are more successful in all areas of learning.  Think of daily reading as a daily multivitamin for their school success.  It is critical.

3.  Schedule time throughout the week and weekend for your child to use FCAT Explorer.  This tool has been available to Florida students for years.  It is aligned to the same standards assessed on these classroom reading comprehension tests, as well as the FCAT.

4.  Make sure your child is in class daily.  The instructional strategies we use at Chets Creek cannot be duplicated with a worksheet at home.  When children miss school, they are missing out on learning.  We try to "catch them up" as best we can, but it is never quite the same.

5.  Start a "Mommy and Me" or "Daddy and Me" book club and read WITH your child.  Often we think that because our readers are old enough to read independently and in their heads, we don't need to read with them anymore.  However, reading shared with an adult is not just independent practice anymore, but an opportunity to learn new ways of thinking about their reading.  In addition to being a powerful family experience, sharing a book with your child allows you to talk with them about the book, giving them a window into the mind of an adult reader.  Having the support of a "leader reader" also allows your child to climb inside a story or text that might have been too difficult for them on their own.  When you hear a tiny thought in your head saying, "Oh, he's going to ....." or "Why did she do that?", speak these thoughts aloud to your child and open a discussion.  Talk about what the author wrote that sparked those thoughts in your mind.

With busy schedules, it might not be realistic to say you will sit down and read with them every single night.  But perhaps you choose a book to share and read it every other night, two days a week, or on the weekends.  The other days, your young reader can read their own independent book.