Computers aren’t simply designed for students to play games. They are also key tools in enhancing reading, math and science.
On the eve of crucial state testing for Varnett students, parents gathered for a reading workshop at the Southwest Campus, March 27, to empower them to help their children with reading and comprehension.
Awaiting their arrival at the district’s Southwest Campus were scores of brand new books, reading materials and an eager staff to guide parents and students through the offerings and displays. The two-hour session was designed to focus on reading fluency, comprehension, phonemic awareness skills and word and letter knowledge.
Teachers and aides also displayed programs on their classroom white boards and demonstrated how to access websites and read information from Kindles, i-Pads and computers.
“We showed them how to get books on Kindle because some parents didn’t know,” said Greta Peacock, Varnett’s 3rd-5th grade curriculum coordinator. “They may buy a Kindle but only to play games.”
Reading materials were plentiful and included topics such as “How to Raise a Curious Reader,” “Daily Literacy Routines,” “Reading at Home,” “Why Can’t I Skip My Twenty Minutes of Reading Tonight?” "A Guide to Tips for Parents," and “The Five Essential Components of Reading.”
Parents can play another key role in their children’s education. According to a 2008 story in Science Daily, young children whose parents read aloud to them have better language and literacy skills when they go to school.
“Reading Night” was the second such activity for parents and students at the Southwest Campus. Earlier this year, Varnett hosted “Math Night.”