No, this is not a post all about my adventures flying solo with two children to visit my parents. Although, I could write about that, and it would be hilarious, this is about reading and writing. Our school has the opportunity to take a two-week vacation in the spring. This is a great chance for our students to experience something different, and take a bit of a break. However, some students really struggle when they come back to school because they are totally out of the reading and writing routine. How can you keep your child’s reading and writing skills up over two weeks? It’s really quite easy.
Students in our school are used to sitting daily for reading and writing for about 20-30 minutes, each. Some older grades read and write for longer periods of time! This is part of their daily reading and writing workshop. You mean my kid can sit and write for 30 minutes? How does this happen? Teachers give them lots of choices! Students choose what they want to write about, and what they want to read. Reading and writing over vacation isn’t very hard; it’s just about being prepared. Before every break, I make a journal for my kids. I take a few blank pages and staple them together, with a title that includes the date and where we are going. I then head to the dollar store for stickers and new pens, pencils, or crayons. When my kids were really young, they would scribble on the pages and put stickers all over. It passes the time in the car, train or plane quite nicely. My four year old has journals full of fire truck pictures, or boats on trailers, pulled by some vehicle. My second grader has journals full of stories. She writes down stories her grandmother tells her about growing up on a farm, or her grandfather’s latest adventures with his dog that doesn’t listen. She writes made up stories about fictional characters, (ironically with the same names as members of the family) or she writes about things she sees or does. This year, I am adding a reading log to my second grader’s journal. I want her to start keeping track of the books she reads, and books she wants to read. We have been logging the minutes she reads for Read Across America, and I’m going to continue this over spring break. She is very interested in how many minutes she reads, so I might as well jump on it! She has also graduated out of blank pages and into spiral notebooks (the more glitter and swirls on the front, the better!). Though they aren’t dated with the trip we took, they are full of stories, just like in writing workshop. Along with snacks to keep their tummies full for long periods of time, I bring books. When they were really little, it was hard because the board books weigh so much, but I brought them anyway! Now, it’s all about chapter books, and the largest books on trains and cars. If it fits in their backpack, they can bring it! Sometimes we go to the library and borrow books for the trip, but usually I buy a new book for the trip. I don’t give it to them until we get on the plane, or start the car. That way it’s something to keep them occupied while we travel. Once we get to our destination, our nightly routine of reading before bed continues. But this time, the grandparents get to read to them! It’s a great tradition for all involved! So, whether you stay or you go, create a little reading and writing space and time for your children. Break out the blanket fort with the flashlight, and have them read during the day. Go to the library and look for books that would go together. Pull out your childhood favorites and share some really good stories with your child. If you’re going to visit relatives, have them help your child write about their past. You will appreciate this later, and it will be something for your child to read over and over again! Safe travels and happy reading and writing!
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AuthorMy name is Laura Coffin, and I am the reading specialist at Lake Placid Elementary School. I have a BA from William Smith College and a M.Ed. in Reading from Lesley University. I also hold a Wilson Language Level I certification. I teach reading, writing and spelling strategies to help all students! Follow me on twitter @lgaetacoffin Archives
December 2017
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