Thanks to Gale & Hoye Hott and David & Maria McMullen for their generous donations which have already provided several scholarships for students this year. There is still one scholarship available for another student.

Reading Window wishes the happiest of holidays to all our readers!

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Congratulations to Job, Catherine and Carter who graduated from our 2009 Summer Program.

Have you ever wondered how many different programs Reading Window conducts? It’s true that all our activities revolve around our six-week Literacy Programs. However, this includes our regular Early Literacy Program, our Pre-School Program, our Summer Program, our ongoing After-School Program, as well as our Long-Distance Telephone Tutoring Program (upon special request). We also offer, by special arrangement, a less structured and usually briefer program called our Booster Program. We also offer a fledgling free program via our website — www.ReadingWindow.org — which includes our free book to download named Dog and dog-cat plus the first chapter of a new book: HOW TO TUTOR SUCCESSFULLY.

The full fee for each six-week intensive Literacy Program is $600. However, we give many scholarships based on need, and so far in this 2009 recession year, every family we have served has requested scholarship assistance. So it seems time to be creative about raising new money for more scholarships. Would you like to donate $10 or $25 or more to participate in getting my book, HOW TO TUTOR SUCCESSFULLY, completed? I’d email you the early drafts of each chapter for you to check out — and, whenever you wish, you could use the Contact Piper option for your suggestions or corrections. You’d be listed in the credits.

Of course money alone, to add to our scholarship fund, would be very helpful and very welcome also.  Use the [Donate] icon in the right hand column of each page or send us a check for a tax-exempt (Educational 501-c-3) donation to invest in transforming children’s lives.

We plan our tutoring sessions focusing on each individual child’s needs and interests. We always make sure we are having fun together at the same time they are learning important reading skills needed to achieve their grade level in reading.

An example including details:

One of our 3rd grade students could read just about any word, but lacked comprehension, and read without any enthusiasm or fluency. I worked first and foremost on building her confidence when it came to reading. The more I gave her feedback and praise, the more she enjoyed reading on her own. After completing the first week in our program, her neighbor noticed her picking up a book to read on her own without being asked to – this was the first time she had ever done this!

We then began to work on comprehending words when she wasn’t sure of their meaning. These words became her “dictionary” words, and if she asked ME before I asked HER what an unfamiliar word meant, she received a sticker to be used to trade on her prize list. This gets children into the habit of ASKING what a word means instead of just reading ahead and not understanding what they’re reading. This is a powerful tool when it comes to increasing reading skills, enjoying reading, and also having better understanding of worksheet directions and assignments in school.

We read fun books, including Dr. Seuss, for expression and fluency. She became very animated when reading books that included sentences in all capitals or ending in exclamation points!

Sherri's Card

The Board announces the appointment of our new Executive Director, Sherri Rosser

Our reading program changed the lives of these children and their families. Our preschoolers will start public school as successful readers, and those families who had children crying over their reading and homework assignments are now experiencing peaceful evenings. Also, for the first time, many of these children are choosing to read on their own for enjoyment. Alex discovered a great interest in reading and learning about birds; Carter likes reading books about trucks; and Jacob has thoroughly enjoyed reading I Spy books (click here to view parent’s appreciation letter).

We love what we do at the Reading Window School and look forward to a great year in 2009 continuing to help children read with enjoyment and understanding and empowering parents to help their children become better readers!