Welcome


Welcome to our Reading Promises Blog for families at Sinking Springs Elementary! Thank you for stopping by to read, learn, and share with us.

The purpose of this blog is to connect the readers of this blog and their reading promise experiences. The Reading Promise Project is based upon the reading streak author Alice Ozma chronicles in her real life memoir, The Reading Promise, between her and her father. What started as a seemingly lofty goal of 100 consecutive nights of reading together when Alice was in fourth grade, turned into a streak lasting until Alice's first day of college, 3,218 days. Our project aims to inspire as many others as possible to create reading promises of their own.

If you are a Sinking Springs parent or student, I hope that you will use this blog as a way to communicate with other families about your reading streak experiences. Tell us stories from your daily reading experiences, what books you've loved and what books you've passed up. Share your successes with us to celebrate and your challenges with us to collaborate on solutions. What little magical moments have arisen because of the commitment you've made to reading with your family? What books have you found that are must-reads for other families?

If you are a new visitor to our blog, I invite you to join our conversation and share your thoughts and experiences! From what I've learned by following Alice Ozma on various social media networks, our readers are not the first, nor the last to be inspired to begin reading streaks. I've seen other stories about amazing family reading moments and the readers at our school would love to hear about thoughts, experiences, suggestions, successes, and challenges from anyone else out there who is taking the same journey or just interesting in sharing his/her thoughts. Contribute to our conversation! Become a part of our online community of readers. We'd love to have you.

Join us in the effort to make reading a special part of your everyday life. Make a promise to read with your family, your classroom, your friends, your loved ones.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Day 1: The Official Start to Our Streak

Today marks my family's official start to our personal Reading Promise reading streak. Unofficially, I've been reading to my son since before he was born this past March, but I figured now that I'm really kicking this Reading Promise Project into full gear, it's time to walk the walk and talk the talk at home and start keeping track of our reading experiences together.

I knew right from the start that reading was going to be an important part of his life. I'm a theme kind of girl, and I was stuck for months trying to figure out the best theme for my little bundle's nursery, until one day, it hit me. I love books. My husband loves books. I want my son to love books. Why not...books?!

Thanks to my parents (Love you, Mom & Dad!!), I have such fond memories of reading as a child and I hope to share those experiences with my son as he grows up. So, to begin his journey into life, I decorated his nursery with books in mind. My husband and I scoured used book stores for old favorites, then found cherished illustrations to frame and hang around his room. His stuffed animals are a collection of beloved children's book characters. He has a wide collection of books already, organized on the bookshelves in his room, and a special reading corner, complete with a tiny (adorable!) reading chair. Even his crib sheets feature The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Curious George! I love watching friends and family enter his room and reminisce or connect with a favorite illustration they find hanging on his walls.

Even though he's only five and a half months old, his first few months have already been filled with so many cherished moments together, centered around books. As a new mom, I had no clue what to do once I entered the world of mommyhood the day I brought him home from the hospital, but one of the first moments we shared together was our reading of I Love You Through and Through. At just 9 weeks old, he started to watch my face as I read How Do Dinosaurs Love Their Dogs to him while cuddled up in his rocking chair and smiled and cooed at me when I was finished. (My heart melted.) Just after he turned 3 months old, I watched him "turn the page" in Blueberries for Sal as we read. He's going to learn quickly that he can win me over easily by doing anything at all reading-related. It's my weakness...

I can't wait to watch so many more of these reading moments develop over our years together through our promise to read. Ok...deep breath...let our official reading streak...BEGIN!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Hartman

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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 19, 2012 at 9:45 PM

    I remember the thrill of decorating my daughter's nursery, and, of course, it included a bookcase with tons of books. It seems like only yesterday! Some of our favorites were The Hungry Little Caterpillar, Good Night Moon, and I'll Love You Forever. I can't wait to follow your Streak!

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    1. Mrs. HartmanAugust 19, 2012 at 10:23 PM

      Glad to read that this post conjured up some fond memories! We still have yet to make it through I'll Love You Forever without me crying. Maybe someday... :)

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