It is of great importance to consider the whole child when thinking of children's development and learning. In order to best support children, we must not think of them in one specific context, such as student, son, daughter, etc. Each child lives within a combination of contexts with a variety of influences. If we can build relationships and connections between the contexts in which children live, then we can more fully support each child in their development and learning. A very significant connection that we can make is the one between school and home. This is especially true in regards to literacy, since a child will be immersed in it both at school and at home. One approach to creating this connection is to implement a take-home literature program, mentioned in Gretchen Owocki's book, Make Way for Literacy!
A program such as this would involve creating a variety take-home literature packs and sending them home with children based on a rotation schedule. Each pack includes a set of books that share a common theme along with materials and activities that extend the ideas of the theme. The intention is for children and their families to explore and interact with the literature together and share meaningful experiences through the activities and materials provided. Ideally, a take-home literature program benefits everyone involved. Children benefit from the experience of collaborating with members of their family to interact with literature and further their learning and development. The program allows families to directly support their children's learning in a meaningful and enjoyable way that is specific to the abilities, interests, and needs of their children. It provides a method for teachers to connect and work with families in order to share expertise and ideas that will benefit the learning and development of the children.For further reading about the benefits of reading at home with your child, below is a link to an article on the website for Scholastic.
http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/article/reading-together/make-connection
I like the first picture, and the explanation goes with the picture! Children live a very complicated life, so many things can influence them. And it's very important for us to find the right way to support our students in the best way! thanks for sharing your thoughts! Also, thanks for the link, very helpful!
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned a very important word: collaboration! I agree with you that extending literacy outside the classroom helps a child be fully immersed in their learning. In addition to the child and parent collaborating, these take home packs also allow for collaboration between teacher and parent - a relationship that is important to nurture, since the parent is that fountain of knowledge for that specific child. I agree that learning, with literacy along with other areas, can bridge both home and school life.
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