A Few Rules for Summer Reading

Now that we are back in a school system that expects students to learn, we are also faced with reading during the summer. This summer the elementary kids were sent home with a list where they could write 16 books they read over the summer and a time chart to mark how many minutes they read each day. 16 books in 11 weeks not an overwhelming amount. E should be reading level 4-5 books and G should be reading level 2 books. The assignment could have been more specific. Here are a few guidelines I would have added to the list of summer reading.
1) You can't list 16 books you read last year, that were read to you in the past 2 years, or you looked at the cover in the library during the past 4 years. The books should be new-to-you that you will read on your own.
2) Toddler board books with a single word per page do not count when you are 10!
3) Personal Pet Peeve-- If it looks like a comic book and makes you giggle like a comic book then it is a comic book therefore not summer reading list material. Read away during your play time since it is 'junk food' reading. When you read 'good food' books your brain grows strong. When you read 'junk food' your brain grows flabby. I am sure "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "Bone" are truly valuable literature just not for summer reading.
4) We are going to miss a few days on the time chart. We make up for those times on the nights I forget to call "lights out" and the 7-year-old comes down at 8:48 to ask if he can please go to sleep because he is too tired to read anymore. You catch an extra hour of reading on those nights and I get one more tally mark as best mom ever.
5) Grade level reading doesn't always have to be chapter books at higher levels. Who would've thought that "The Tale of Jemima Puddle Duck" and "Pickles to Pittsburgh" were over 4.5 level books.
6) Teachers-- if you require the reading time/books then please do something with it. It is greatly discouraging to parents when they fight and force the reading over the summer only to have the teacher make no connection, not assign a project, or even bother to look at the chart when the kids return to school. Requiring reading then ignoring it sets up 2 problems: parents begin the year scowling and kids will be even worse about reading the following summer. Kids don't realize how much reading helps them grow so there has to be a carrot to lead (some of) them to the learning. Both boys are reading this summer for the mysterious "sweet treat" when they turn in their charts.

I do agree with having summer reading. I think it is the very least students can do to keep their brains working. I am a supporter of the year round school calendar and would still wish for some type of mental exercise for kids to do during the shorter breaks year round school incorporates. So until we get year round school we have summer reading. And there are only 2 and a half weeks to get that reading done. Time to go to the library again.
love and hugs and go read something! B