Scholastic - Read For 2003


		Community Involvement

Read For 2003 is a great opportunity to foster interaction with parents and members of your local community.

Who to Invite | Getting Parents Involved | Getting Media Coverage

Getting Parents Involved

Many parents are eager to be part of the classroom experience – Read For 2003 is a perfect opportunity to get them involved!

Let parents know about Read For 2003.
Invite parents to your Read For 2003 celebration.
Ideas for parents who can't join your classroom celebration.
How parents can help you plan your event.

Let parents know about Read For 2003.
Read For 2003 gets children excited about reading, and thinking about all the different cultures that are also participating in the event. Let parents know about the event so that they can share and build on their child's excitement at home.

Children enjoy Reading For 2003 seconds. Suggest that parents "practice" Reading For 2003 with their children at home.
Encourage parents to support their child's curiosity about different cultures.
Have students create questionnaires for parents and family members about their favorite childhood books and reading. Students may want to read these special books on December 6!

Send Read For 2003 e-mail postcards—a quick and easy way to spread the word!

Invite parents to your Read For 2003 celebration.
Here are some ways parents may want to participate:

Have parents read aloud to the class, one-on-one with their child, with a small group, or read silently with the rest of the class.
Invite parents to bring in their favorite childhood book to share and discuss.
If parents come from another country, ask them to share information about their native culture. Perhaps they can tell stories, bring food or music, dress in traditional costume, etc. Have them show your class their country on the Read For 2003 World Map and check to see if any schools are participating from that country.
Invite parents from a variety of different careers or interests to join your class to Read For 2003, and afterwards share why reading is important in their work.
One teacher invited a student's blind grandmother to join their celebration. She brought in cards with the Braille alphabet and read to the students using Braille. Afterwards, she shared how important reading has always been to her.

Click here for Read For 2003 printable party invitations—perfect to send to parents and other guests!

Ideas for parents who can't join your classroom celebration.
Many parents have obligations that will not allow them to join you on December 6 (or whatever day your class is celebrating). Let them know that they can join the celebration wherever they are — all they have to do is put down everything and read at 12 noon (or whatever time your classroom is reading) for 2003 seconds. Here are some ways to support parents reading with you:

Have students make a poster or a doorknob hanger for their parents to bring to work. Here's an idea: "Do not disturb for 2003 seconds... I'm reading at the same time as my child, and the rest of the world, for Read For 2003!"
Send home a Read For 2003 bookmark (coming soon) or poster.
Suggest that parents read the same book as their child so they can discuss it later.
If possible, encourage parents to e-mail their child after they finish reading for 2003 seconds and allow your students to check their e-mail.
Send home a note with your students on the day of the event with a question for parents to ask them about your celebration. This will encourage students to share the excitement of their Read For 2003 experience at home.

How parents can help you plan your event.
Many parents want to help out in the classroom but aren't sure how. Here are some things you may want to ask parents to help:

Provide food or snacks
Provide drinks
Help create decorations and favors
Help decorate the classroom
Invite guest readers
Raise money to purchase books for the class to read on the day of the event.
Contact local media to let them know about your class's celebration of books and friendship with classes all around the world! Visit Getting Media Coverage for more information.

Open and save this letter to parents on your computer. Edit (if you'd like), then print and send home to parents.

Share your ideas for Read For 2003! — Click here!