A child's mind is a place where the future unfolds.
If our future is in the hands of our children, we must help them learn about our world.
To discover, to explore, to imagine, if only we could guarantee their success, but can
we?
We've asked Dr. Alvin Granowski, nationally acclaimed author and educational authority,
to explain.
With all the upsetting headlines about the reading and learning problems of our nation's
children, wouldn't it be wonderful for you as a parent to be able to guarantee your child's
success as a reader and a learner?
Unfortunately there are no guarantees, but what there are are probabilities that if you
follow these behaviors, you are setting up the probabilities that your children will
be successful learners.
Let me take a few moments to share the six behaviors that research says will result in
learning children.
Number one, and possibly most important, has to do with self-esteem.
And you can nurture your children's self-esteem by setting aside 20 minutes a day to share
with each child.
And what would you do in those 20 minutes?
Well, the most powerful thing you can do.
Take the time to listen to your child's questions, paying particular attention to those questions
and your child's feelings.
What more important way can you have to say to a youngster, you really matter?
Number two, share reading and writing with your children and do it in very natural ways.
You have to cook, so most of us use recipe books.
Let your child help you with the recipe book.
You have to eat, make a grocery list.
Let your child see the uses of writing so that you can buy the food.
You have to put toys together, follow direction.
Let your youngster see you following the directions by reading the directions.
And you know what's a wonderful ritual for any family?
Sharing a bedtime story, because it's not just the story, it's love that's being shared
at those moments.
Number three, your child's interests.
Your child's interests are the most powerful motivator that youngster will have for lifelong
reading and learning.
Based on your child's interests, go to the library, get books, materials that will help
your child develop the interest and understand it.
Can you set up a personal library for your youngster?
Based on that, go to the bookstore.
Perhaps you want to start with the encyclopedia volume, but your child's interest is the impetus
for the learning.
Number four, show pride in your child's accomplishment.
When your child learns something new at school, take pride in it and say, look what you can
do now.
I am so proud of you.
And when the learning doesn't come easily, well, now you earn your stripes as a parent,
you earn your medals because now your child needs your confidence, your belief in him
or her more than ever.
Above all, never let your child see that you fear that he or she will not achieve because
your fears can overwhelm them.
Number five, join with the teacher.
Your child's teacher is your friend, your ally.
Share your expectations for your child's learning and learn from the teacher what he or she
expects because you want to have high expectations, but ones that your child can achieve so that
your child works and then feels success.
Homework is a powerful time to help your child learn.
Don't do your child's homework, but have a quiet place for your child to study with appropriate
reference materials.
Check to see that your child has the skills and concepts to complete the homework.
And let me give you another wonderful tip.
Help your child see early on that a test is a friend.
A test is a necessary check to see that the important learning is happening.
You don't fear tests, you learn from them.
And now we're up to number six, it went that fast, modeling.
Your child will be just like you.
Does your child see you reading and writing?
Does your child see you valuing and enjoying the reading and writing?
Because what you do will be with your child all the days of his or her life.
Let me close with a wonderful story told to me by a very bright teacher and mother.
She said to me, you know, when my children were young and they would come to me with
their questions, even if I knew the answer, I would never say, here's the answer, no.
What I would say is, mama doesn't know the answer, but mama knows where to find the answer.
Come, let me show you.
And she said, then I would walk to our set of encyclopedia and I would take off from
the shelf the appropriate volume.
And I would offer my children the university of my knee.
And, you know, I smiled and I said, what do you mean the university of your knee?
And she said, well, it was my child's question, so I know he's interested.
And then I would have the volume of the encyclopedia, the volume from the world.
And I would sit my child on my knee and share the answer with my child.
And she said, as my children grew older and they would ask me questions, they were teenagers.
And I would say, mama, and they'd scream, mama, you stop that.
Well, she said, my children are grown today.
My son is a lawyer.
And I visited my son and my four-year-old granddaughter was there.
And I heard my four-year-old granddaughter ask my son a question and my son said, daddy
doesn't know the answer to your question, but daddy knows where to find the answer.
Come, let me show you.
And you know, my heart filled because I saw the circle of what I had started being completed.
As the day follows the night, the child follows the parent.
The finest legacy that any parent can offer a child is the legacy of learning.
When your World Book representative returns to your home, please take a few moments to
learn how easy it will be for you as a parent to help your child succeed.
Your World Book representative will be able to answer any questions you may have.