OSWEGO, NY – On a recent perfect fall afternoon every student from the Kingsford Park Elementary School was relaxing on the green grass reading a book.
Teacher Patty Dixon noted, “Several weeks ago Karen DeRitter, Christie Stepien and myself were discussing how to get students to begin reading earlier in the school year. During the summer we had a tremendous effort to encourage reading and we wanted to continue it as soon as the students returned to the classrooms.â€Â
In a cooperative effort with the KPS Home and School Association the three teachers organized a “Book Camp.â€Â
Dixon noted, “The purpose of the ‘book camp’ to quickly get students back into the habit of reading ‘good fit’ books on a daily basis.â€Â
Beginning on Sept. 9 and continuing to Sept. 24, all students participated in daily read-a-loud or DEAR activity for 20 minutes beginning at 3 p.m.
Students actively participated in the daily reading to promote sustained reading while the teachers provided the opportunity for this exercise.
The teachers also recorded the number of minutes on a poster outside of the classroom to show the other students and teachers of the efforts that were taking place.
Home and School jumped aboard and decided to provide items for the project climax celebration.
On the final day the KPS Home and School Association provided a new book for each student, a bottle of water and a brownie as the students read alone or with their reading buddies on the front lawn of Kingsford Park elementary.
Dixon said, “This is a great event. We had ‘book buddies’ together with other classrooms and we totaled well over 4,000 minutes of reading as we continue to promote the importance of having a good book.â€Â
The celebration culminated the kickoff, but reading continues to be an integral part in the literacy program throughout the Oswego City School District.
The “book camp†was something very new and enjoyed by students and teachers at Kingsford Park Elementary School.
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