G ROWING R EADERS & W RITERS A T H OME INSTRUCTOR: MEGAN CONROY

A LITTLE ABOUT ME MEGAN CONROY

I AM A…

I LIVE IN ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA. This is the home I purchased last April. It’s my first home and it’s a 1920’s fixer-upper! My American Bulldog, Toby, was especially happy to have his own backyard. The days off have been spent on home repairs. It has been amazing to see the transformations take place and feel pride and accomplishment in the work completed.

I COULDN’T HAVE MADE THOSE REPAIRS WITHOUT THIS GUY… This is my fiance Jason, who just so happens to also be my realtor and my pharmacist. But we met long before he sold me my house and had me transfer my prescriptions to Publix.

We met playing co-ed soccer! We play every Monday night through Tampa Bay Club Sports. It’s a lot of fun and great exercise. We also enjoy running, though 3 miles is my max!

I TEACH KINDERGARTEN & I LOVE IT! This school year marks my 13 th year of teaching. The 13 years break down as follows: 3 years teaching 1 st Grade in St. Johns County, FL 5 years teaching 1 st Grade & 1 year teaching 2 nd Grade & 4 years teaching Kindergarten in Pinellas County, FL M Y T EACHING E XPERIENCE

I hope to extend my passion and excitement for teaching both areas to you as parents. Now let’s take some time to get to know each other. Please introduce yourself, tell us about your children, and tell us about your passion or your goals for participating in this course! T EACHING R EADING & W RITING I S M Y PASSION

COURSE GOALS & OVERALL OUTCOMES For participants to transfer and apply the knowledge and strategies learned through this course in their daily life at home with their child/children to best support and facilitate the growth of young readers and writers.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS ~BE PRESENT AND ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN OUR WORK. ~ASK QUESTIONS. ~COMPLETE READINGS/ACTIVITIES/ ASSIGNMENTS ON TIME AND TO YOUR BEST ABILITY. ~GROW AND STRETCH YOUR PARENTAL TEACHING ABILITIES ~APPLY WHAT YOU LEARN AT HOME WITH YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN

Course Calendar Module 1- in person Module 2- in person Module 3- online Module 4- online Module 5- online Module 6- online Module 7- online Module 8- in person In person meetings will be head in this classroom. Online modules will be through the use of our website: y.com/ Each week a topic will be explored related to reading/writing and how parents can influence growth in those areas at home. Information and resources will be provided for the topics. Activities/assignments will align with those topics to deepen understanding and provide opportunities to practice/apply the information gained.

Module 1: Before we learn about what the research says… Let’s take a moment to view this video: Why Read? What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

Module 1: Why Read? What are your thoughts? Let’s take a few minutes to make our own lists of why we read and why we want our children to read. Let’s share those ideas and generate one complete list! What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

Module 1: Home literacy practices have powerfully influence literacy outcomes for children. These affect: -motivation to read or be read to -interest in books -acquisition of reading skills, concepts, and strategies -literacy behaviors such as frequency of reading/writing (Roberts, 2013) What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

Module 1: The parental practice of reading stories aloud to children is generally acknowledged to have a powerful influence on: –Language development –Emergent literacy –Reading achievement (Lawson, 2012) What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

Module 1: ~The parent reader is the conduit by which a child attaches to a story. ~Subsequently a child attributes pleasure derived to the language of books. ~These reading experiences promote a self initiated desire and motivation to read. (Lawson, 2012) What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

Module 1: ~A parent’s focus on the pleasure derived from reading can influence the pleasure a child takes from reading. ~A foundation of viewing reading as a source of pleasure contributes positively to: ~reading motivation ~developing reading skills ~choice of leisure activities (Baker & Scher, 2002) What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

Module 1: ~It is in the child’s best interest for parents to foster motivation for reading well before formal instruction begins. ~Educators should be aware that their efforts to promote reading motivation are incomplete unless parents are included in the process. (Baker & Scher, 2002) What does the research say about family involvement in literacy activities at home in regard to reading aloud?

YOU are here, YOU are involved! By taking this course, YOU have decided to take an active role in your child’s life as he/she develops into a reader!

Our Learning Site GROWING READERS & WRITERS AT HOME This site contains a module for each of week we meet (in person/online) for this course. Let’s take a look at the site together now!

Assignments 1. Begin and maintain a log of any literacy activities (formal/informal) you do starting today through the remainder of the course. –Feel free to create your own log or use the one provided. 2. Post a picture of you and your child/children with your favorite read aloud story. 3. Post a reflection with your picture. See our learning site for guiding questions.

Thank You! For attending this afternoon For your desire to take this course For your invested time and interest in Growing Readers & Writers at Home

Contact Me Don’t hesitate to contact me at any time for support during and after our work together in this course! My