Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of students and parents.
Am I supposed to help with my child's take home book?
It's great if you can help!! In fact, if you can't, but you wish you could, why not enlist the help of an older sibling or a grandparent or even a neighbor. The students who come to see me struggle with reading and/or writing, so the more help they can get from others, the better. Of course, this doesn't mean that someone else is doing the work for them. It just means that someone is standing by -- should they need help. For instance, if your child is reading their book, and they get stuck on a word, let them try to figure it out on their own first. They can try sounding it out or looking at the pictures for clues. They can also look at the sentences around the unfamiliar word for more clues. If, after all that, they still can't get the word, then it would be great if you could help them with it. As your child reads, ask them questions to see how well they're comprehending the text. Ask them things like, "Why do you think she/he is angry/happy?" "Why do you think she/he did that?" WHAT you ask them doesn't really matter too much, so don't worry. The important thing is that you get them talking about what they're reading.Back to Top
How long does my child have to complete their book and worksheet?
Ideally, each child should be completing a book and a worksheet each week. This includes handing it in, conferencing with me about what may be incorrect, and making corrections.Back to Top
Does my fifth grader have to finish his entire chapter book in a week?
No. Fifth graders are expected to read two chapters a week in their chapter books. They also need to complete the two pages in their packets that correspond to those chapters. In addition, they need to make corrections on any incorrect answers from previous chapters.Back to Top
My child hates to read. Is there any motivation to get him going?
I understand that the children who come to see me struggle with reading, and they generally dislike it as a result. That's why I've built many rewards into the program. I've got a prize box chock full of things that fourth and fifth graders just love to win. I also have a large supply of candy bars that children in this age group just love. Fourth graders earn a prize or candy bar (their choice) when they've accumulated five stickers. They earn a sticker everytime they read a book and complete the worksheet, including corrections. We keep track of everyone's progress on a "sticker chart" that hangs on our classroom wall. That, in itself, is a fabulous motivator. Many students run right to that chart when they come into the reading room. Everyone always wants to know who's in the lead. Fifth graders earn a prize or a candy bar (their choice) everytime they finish a chapter book and complete the packet that goes with it (including corrections). As with the fourth graders, progress is tracked on the "sticker chart."Back to Top
Can my child do MORE than what's expected each week?
Of course!! More power to him/her!! Some children are very competitive, and they're competing with each other to stay in the lead on our sticker chart. Believe it or not, I've got some students who are doing FIVE books a week!! (Hopefully, they won't get any cavities from all the candy bars they're earning!) In fact, I've got two fifth graders who amazed all of us recently. One of them read his entire chapter book, AND COMPLETED HIS ENTIRE PACKET in ONE EVENING!!! Another one did the same thing but took ONLY THREE DAYS!!! Athough I stress with my students that reading is not a race, I do encourage them to read, read, read as much as they can. This is the one sure thing that will help them become better readers and writers.Back to Top
My child has trouble sitting still. How do you help him?
Your child is not alone. Because so many children have trouble sitting still, I make my sessions with them as interactive as possible. They are up and down frequently. They sit on the floor in the hall writing stories with each other on huge chart paper. They sit on the floor with each other sequencing the story with sentence strips. They play all kinds of vocabulary games using flash cards, post its, and chart paper. They also get to take turns using the pointer and playing teacher. We also do readers theater, which everyone loves. In addition, children who have enough stickers on the sticker chart get to play games during Fun Friday.Back to Top
How do you decide which students need this help?
Some students who come to see me were recommended by their teachers. This means that their teacher noticed they weren't reading or writing on grade level. State assessments are also used as indicators of which students would benefit from extra reading assistance. Students can earn a score of 1, 2, 3, or 4 on a state assessment. Students who earn a score of 1 or 2 are seen for extra help. Occasionally, a student comes from another district, and there are no state test scores to consult. In cases like these, if we suspect a student is struggling with reading, we test them with the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test. If the results indicate that they are reading below grade level, they are placed into the program.Back to Top