When will the reading sheets be checked and who will do it? Some teachers prefer to check the reading sheets themselves and do it every day, Others do it once a week, and often choose Wednesday. By experience, Friday and Monday didn't work out well, since special events or planning days most often occurred on those days, and checking was omitted for that week. If the teacher is feeling too pressured to look after the checking, a volunteer parent needs to be brought in to help, The parent becomes part of the team and an ally in helping the children enjoy reading. This project is to help children enjoy reading and that must be kept in mind when decisions are made. It should not become a heavy chore as homework sometimes does,

What about rewards and celebrations? Many teachers have chosen to recognize when a student has completed 4 nights of reading by giving him a sticker for his reading sheet cover. Some teachers have taken an extra step and made a wall chart of the amount of reading each child has done. This is motivating, but lends itself to competition about the number of books read rather than the enjoyment of reading. What is helpful, is to encourage children to talk with each other about what they read and how they liked it. Presently, a Grade 1 class receives a sticker for every 10 books read. There is a waiting list of up to 11 names for certain books. These children started the project in kindergarten. Some classes have held reading celebrations at the end of a period or project. They have a simple party with a guest reader - perhaps the principal, a school commissioner or the Chairperson of the School Committee. They have juice and cookies and plenty of recognition for all the wonderful reading that has been done - perhaps a pile of all the books that have been read.

How will the parents be told about the project? When the project is initiated in a school it is advisable to invite the parents to a meeting where it can be explained. A date and hour need to be chosen when people are most likely to come. Watch for conflicts with other events, A written invitation (Annexes 3, 4, 5) should be prepared by the teacher keeping it as readable as possible. The parents you most want to attend are poor or non-readers themselves. It is helpful if all parents can be phoned and told that there is going to be a new reading project that the teacher needs their help. and that they are invited to a meeting to learn about it. The School Committee might be able to help if there is no phoning committee for the class itself. It is advisable to plan the meeting in the classroom or the library and serve light refreshments afterwards so people can chat together.

PHASE III - IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECT

1. Announcing it to the Class

Although teachers are sometimes tempted to include just the poor readers (and these children are more likely to have poor reading parents), it was soon discovered that all the children want to join in as soon as they know they will be reading to their parents. They will all benefit. It is surprising how many families have lost the habit of reading together. TV is so accessible.