Reading Counts is a wonderful motivational program that encourages children to read each night, take quizzes and be rewarded for their efforts, although it may not be a good fit for all children.

Our classroom reading curriculum is founded on reading strategies for comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary.  A core component of our instruction is providing children with an opportunity to practice these skills in their independent reading.  In addition to our classroom instruction, Reading Counts provides an opportunity for children to be rewarded for reading but is not our reading curriculum.  It is simply a motivational program to inspire children to read more.

Based on a recent discussion among our Georgetown staff regarding teacher and parent concerns for our readers, we want to stress that Reading Counts is an optional program for our children.   Our main goal is to have children reading as much as possible both at home and at school.  Reading Counts has helped motivate some children to stay focused on their reading while receiving incentives and goals to work toward.   We know that this does not motivate all students and we do not want to put added pressure on children and parents.  For this reason, if you feel as if your child is not motivated by the Reading Counts program, you can choose to not have your child participate.

We will still continue to offer opportunities to choose RC books and to take quizzes during the day, as well as require students to read for 15 minutes each night from a book of their choice, whether it be an RC book or another “good-fit” book.  Our ultimate goal is that all children are practicing reading strategies  in their independent reading, whether it be an RC book or any other appropriate text.

If  you have any questions or concerns please feel free to give me a call/email.

Thanks so much for your continued support!

Mrs. Kuieck 🙂

Families,

Today your child is coming home with a Reading Counts book that is in their level based on the Student Reading Inventory test that we took last week.  Please read the notes that are coming home today concerning the Reading Counts Book Log and general information about Reading Counts.

This will be your child’s first experience with Reading Counts and we want it to be a positive one.  If your child has a picture book, please make sure that he or she reads it through more than once so that they have a good grasp of the content of the story as there will be quiz over the book.  Each RC quiz is worth a certain number of points as written on the spine of the book.  Your child’s goal is written on the note that is coming home today.  Please keep in mind that this is end of the marking period goal.

If at anytime, we notice that a child is continually passing quizzes with ease, we will consider moving their level up to more “good-fit” books.

We will try our best to have your child take their quiz in a timely manner here at school .  Be patient with us as we learn the ropes :).    Open library time begins on Thursday so we will have more opportunities to use multiple computers for RC quizzes.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me … lkuieck@hpseagles.net

Thanks for your continued support!!!

Lisa Kuieck