August 14, 2009Hello,
My name is Rosalyn Elder, and I've developed this blog, "Nurture A Reader" as my contribution to the advancement of student literacy in the United States. I'm an architect and a partner in a multicultural bookstore located in Boston, MA, which was founded in 1998 in order to break down the barriers that separate us ethnically, socially and racially. Children need access to culturally relevant literature for their personal development.
Throughout my years at the bookstore, I realized that people not only need access to culturally relevant literature, they also need an awareness of the importance of having books in their home for the development of their child's reading ability. My goal is to encourage the realization that in order for children to read more and to achieve the benefits of reading, books need to be around them all the time, especially in familiar and comfortable environments.
A National Endowment for the Arts study in 2004 entitled, "Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America," concluded that across all demographic groups, Americans are reading less. That decline in reading has profound influences on all aspects of a person’s life: academically, culturally, socially and professionally.
That study acknowledged that the more time students spend in recreational reading, the better their reading proficiency and comprehension will be across many academic subjects. The study also found that those with a high level of reading proficiency achieve a higher level of success in not only the academic arena but also throughout their lives.
A follow-up report completed by the National Endowment in 2007, "To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence," concluded that this decline in reading proficiency has profound consequences for America’s ability to compete in an international intellectual arena. This report also acknowledged that the number of books in a child's home is a significant predictor of academic achievement.
Based on these studies and my personal experience running my bookstore, I feel that one way to address this national problem is to encourage the building of personal and family libraries. This casual relationship to books would encourage frequent, unplanned reading as a spontaneous activity that can occur at any time.
A follow-up report completed by the National Endowment in 2007, "To Read or Not to Read: A Question of National Consequence," concluded that this decline in reading proficiency has profound consequences for America’s ability to compete in an international intellectual arena. This report also acknowledged that the number of books in a child's home is a significant predictor of academic achievement.
Based on these studies and my personal experience running my bookstore, I feel that one way to address this national problem is to encourage the building of personal and family libraries. This casual relationship to books would encourage frequent, unplanned reading as a spontaneous activity that can occur at any time.
The main goals for this "Nurture A Reader" blog are:
1. To make people aware of the importance of having books in the home, which in turn will encourage children to read more frequently and improve their reading ability.
2. To encourage families and other concerned adults to buy books for the children in their lives in order to help build those personal and/or family libraries.
3. To provide access to a list of culturally and age appropriate reading material for children.
4. To supplement the academic day with reading that is chosen by the child to help them become better readers.
This blog is not meant to suggest that school or community libraries should be replaced. I support those resources because they serve important roles for research and special projects. I just believe that building a family library guarantees a child’s success. It helps them grow into confident, knowledgeable, and articulate leaders; traits that will enhance their future.
happy reading,
rosalyn
