What’s the Word?
Increasing Your Child’s Reading Level
As your child advances towards high school, helping them improve their reading comprehension becomes increasingly important. Making sure your child’s reading is being properly supplemented outside of classroom instruction is a necessary step in helping them increase their reading level.
Balancing Quantity with Quality
While you want to make sure that your child is spending at least twenty minutes per day reading, their reading selection is equally important to the amount of time they read. Reading the same books over and over again will not help your child move past their current level of reading comprehension. Try this; keep a list of the different books your middle schooler has read. The next time you go to the library or bookstore, ask the librarian or clerk to help you find books that will hold your child’s interest, but are a little bit more advanced than the books they have already read. If you do this each time you child finishes reading their selection of books, and keep up with the twenty minute reading limit each day, their reading level will continue to improve as they read.
Engage with Them
In order to know if your child is comprehending what they read, you have to ask them questions about their stories. If you have not had time to read the book yourself, feel free to look up information about the book online to give you an idea of what your child should be getting out of their read. Should you find that they are having a difficult time grasping the concepts or main idea of their books, try slightly reducing the amount of time they read to address attention span issues. If you still notice that they are having a hard time understanding what they have read, contact their teacher to discuss possible resources to tackle any issues as soon as possible.
Remember, reading should be enjoyable and not a chore. Spend time with your child identifying the types of genres they like and different topics they enjoy reading about. They are sure to experience many learning benefits as they continue to build their reading level.
Recommended Reading:
I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus
African Americans have given so much to American culture and music is among the greatest of those gifts, We encourage parents and students to explore the roots of black music in the book I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus.
Music is one of the many things that brings different people from all over the world together and focus more on our similarities than our differences. Much of the music that we know and love today has been heavily influenced by the sounds of African music and the beats and rhythms made popular by the African American community. I See the Rhythm explores the beginning of black music in Africa all the way down to the modern hip hop style. As you would expect from a book about music, the words provide a lyrical rhythm that works beautifully with stunning illustrations, all while giving a historical overview of the progression of a musical style that represents the strength and endurance of the black community.
Visit your local library, or purchase a copy of I See the Rhythm at your local bookstore to begin enjoying this toe tapping read with your child.
Exploring your Family Culture at Home
Food is a wonderful tool in bringing people from all backgrounds together, and what better way to enjoy a diverse meal than by having a cultural potluck!
How to Do It
1. Plan a day that will work for your family and friends to have a potluck. As the weather gets warmer, you may consider having a potluck picnic outside.
2. Decide who will bring what food. If your child has a diverse group of friends, ask them to bring a meal that represents their culture. Don’t have friends from a different culture? Ask each person to bring a dish they would like to try from another culture (sushi, naan, tamales, etc..).
3. Talk about each dish. Have your child explain why their dish is important to their culture and ask their friends the same question. If no one is from a different country, ask each child why they chose to make their dish.
4. Learn. Learning and understanding the differences of others is the key to being able to appreciate culture and differences in all their forms.
Better for Diversity
Helping all of our students show their light to the world and grow up as compassionate, free thinking, and respectful individuals is a responsibility we take seriously at Summit Academy.
The diversity in our schools and our commitment to serving a variety of students, no matter their background or situation, is one of the many reasons parents trust us with their children.
With the rise of bullying and disrespect found in other schools, we understand how important it is to provide students with a safe place to learn where they do not have to worry about being themselves and expressing their individuality. Each member of our staff is committed to giving our students the respect they deserve and making sure that they feel welcome in our family. Additionally, our students continue to attend our school because of how easy they find it to fit in and discover friends who they can relate to and form lasting bonds with. At Summit Academy, it is easy for us to show love and respect to our students because anything less is simply not welcome.
Is your child interested in learning about other cultures? Summit Academy North Middle School boasts a United Cultures Club that helps students promote and celebrate diversity. This quarter, our multicultural club has partnered with Pen Pal Schools for a six week course in which our students will be exploring global issues with other students from around the United States. This is an excellent opportunity for students to gain more global awareness and hear about the world from their peers across the country. This club is open to both middle and high schoolers, giving younger students the opportunity to benefit from the experience and knowledge of older students.
Share Your Thoughts!
This month, we encourage you to tell us why you think Summit Academy is better for diversity. Leave us a comment on our Facebook page with your thoughts and the hashtag #SummitIsBetter.