Thursday
Feb162012
A Day of Mystery Reading
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 5:00AM Read to Me
By Jane Yolen
Read to me riddles and read to me rhymes,
Read to me stories of magical times.
Read to me tales about castles and kings.
Read to me stories of fabulous things.
Read to me pirates and read to me knights,
Read to me dragons and dragon-book fights.
Read to me spaceships and cowboys and then,
When you are finished - please read them again!
There is a preschool where both Miss B and GMan spent many days. I was so fortunate to find this sweet little school (which wound up being where we would go to church as well) and it occupied a very special place in our lives for five years. I like to tell the director that this preschool ruined my children for public school!
In that time I watched my children learn to read, develop friendships, and form relationships with teachers that still love and care about them to this day. When they walked into the building they received hugs, kisses and warmth.
For me, being a part of the school was a HUGE part of my life. I was always very active in their classes, and for two years served as the president of the preschool board. When I was very ill one year the entire staff and many parents rallied around me and took care of my children, fed my family, and even dried a few of my own tears.
Just a few weeks ago this school mourned the loss of one of its former students...it was an enormous comfort to sit at this sweet child's funeral with a strong, Godly group of women. I hated that we were there ~ but I was thankful I was there WITH them.
{I hope you can tell this place is TREASURED by my family. I am THANKFUL for these "roots" for my children - and thankful for this school that helped me in the early years with my children.}
My children had the pleasure to "Mystery Read" to each of the classes... which meant they were the surprise guest in the class. We spent some time earlier in the week choosing books we thought the little ones would like. (Just going through their picture books took up an hour and we have been reading them all week - it's like visiting old friends.) Miss B was also asked to play piano for opening chapel... the very same chapel she attended six years ago!
They read to each class. As you can see, Miss B is much more experienced! GMan was very intent on READING the book, and I had to remind him to stop and show the class the pictures and to pull the book down from his face. By the time the morning was over he was engaging the class and making silly faces for them.
The teachers thanked the children profusely - most of all they were thankful for their students getting to see children who learned to READ and read well.
Our Favorite Preschool Read-Alouds:
(If you ever get the chance to purchase Not This Bear!, jump on it! This is a wonderful old book - we read my copy from childhood. It is one of our favorite books of all time!)
I treated the kids to a few books from the used bookstore across the street and also a chocolate croissant from The Fresh Market. I stumbled across Stories of Roland Told to the Children for $.89, too!
I had to laugh because I told the kids before going into the bookstore to remember that "mom only goes for deals"... meaning I will only buy used books that are CHEAP. GMan saw a brand new Lego sticker book and asked the woman working in the store if "it was a deal"!
After a full morning we came home - it was nearly 70 degrees outside, so we sat on the deck and finished Son of Charlemagne (another GREAT read!) and called it a day.
Have I mentioned how I LOVE homeschooling?? (I might also mention I'm EXHAUSTED this week, but I guess that goes with the territory!)
Reader Comments (7)
I love this Mary. Do you know that I posted that very same poem on my bulletin board on the first day of Kindergarten (I was a long term sub) so the parents could see immediately what my love was and what I hoped to pass on to their children? This poem always makes me smile.
Did you call the preschool or did they already have something like this planned? It is a fantastic idea. My kid's preschool has changed so much I don't think any of their teachers are still there......but I do know where their favorite teacher went. I wonder if they have a piano.....
What a great opportunity for your children! I think it would be neat to seek out just such an opportunity for my own. I'm not familiar with a couple if your picks. I think I needd to remedy that!
Thanks for the book recommendations! And I'm also so glad to read about how much your kids got out of their preschool. I'm sometimes hesitant to admit in front of other homeschoolers how much my daughter is getting out of her preschool, so it's good to see an example of how to celebrate the joys of homeschooling *and* of a great preschool at the same time :)
What a wonderful thing for your children to get to do. I love the picture of GMan intently reading. :)
I love this post. What a great reminder that there are many different ways for kids to be in school . I think sometimes as homeschoolers we forget that there are fantastic schools our there as well.
mystery reading sounds like a fantastic idea! Our co-op pairs up older and younger kids and every once in a while the younger bring a fave book and the older read - they LOVE having the older ones reading to them!
This sounds like such a fun day! I'd love to so something similiar with my kids one day. I thought it might be eye-opening to read to sick kids at a children's hospital.