Followup - Reading Program
Nanci K.
Well I talked to my kids about the reading program at the library that
I outlined here earlier: a prize for every 4 hours read. My 8 year
old autistic son Thomas could not grasp the concept of this program,
marking time in a notebook and getting prizes for so much accumulated
time, no matter how many times and in how many ways I tried to explain
it. So I told him I would show him when we got to the library. Once
he had the booklet in his hand and I explained it again as I used the
booklet for illustration he seemed to get the idea. He has trouble
with abstracts, and also with the grasping of the passage of time. We
read for ten minutes and he asks me if it's been 4 hours yet. Having
an analog clock to look at helps him a lot, with hands moving around
in different places. Digital doesn't help much since he's dyslexic
and the numbers are just confusing.
He is only interested in getting the prizes and doesn't seem to care
what the motivations are of the library for wanting him to read,
doesn't ask, doesn't wonder. I just told him that the library is all
about books and it makes them happy when kids read, so they like to
encourage it lol.
So we got him the little booklet to track his reading time when we
went to the library this afternoon and he's been drawing pictures or
putting stickers into the little squares in the book that represent
each half hour being read to or looking at books himself. He's not a
delayed gratification kind of kid and has this idea that a prize will
materialize when he reches the 4 hour mark, or that we can go back to
the library instantly tonight and get it. In fact he wanted to sit in
the truck and read for 4 hours and then go back in a get a prize, not
understanding how long 4 hours really is.
I've been reading to him all afternoon and evening now, as time
between meals prep and so forth permitted, and he's got about 3 hours
marked off. This really is not that out of the ordinary around here
though, as he often hounds me to read to him until my voice gives
out. I keep warning him that the prizes might not be too spectacular
and he needs to be prepared in case they are not what he's hoping. I
can see a huge tantrum if he's hoping for and visualizing something
specific and the prize is disappointing to him. Autistics don't shift
thought gears easily.
Meanwhile his 7 year old brother amicably (as usual) said Yeah! he
wanted to try it out as well, since his brother is doing it, and got
his own booklet. I've marked his time off for him because he doesn't
seem to care much, and I know from experience with him that whatever
they give him, paper bookmark, eraser, pencil, plastic ring, whatever
their prizes are, he will be happy as a clam and say "Ooooo, thanks!"
lol He's a pretty easy kid. He may not care to continue after the
first prize if he doesn't think it's really cool though, just be happy
with what he got and say "no thanks" to marking off any more time in
the booklet. I doubt he will read any longer than he normally does
either way.
I find myself wondering if this stuff actually works on other kids,
because aside from being excited about prizes and keeping track of
reading time it seems to be business as usual around here with books.
I guess schooled kids often avoid schooly stuff and shun reading
during their summer of freedom and the powers that be are trying to
counteract that? Mine have never been in a school, or preschool, or
daycare, so it's hard for me to visualize what it's like in homes
where there is another reality.
Nanci K.
I outlined here earlier: a prize for every 4 hours read. My 8 year
old autistic son Thomas could not grasp the concept of this program,
marking time in a notebook and getting prizes for so much accumulated
time, no matter how many times and in how many ways I tried to explain
it. So I told him I would show him when we got to the library. Once
he had the booklet in his hand and I explained it again as I used the
booklet for illustration he seemed to get the idea. He has trouble
with abstracts, and also with the grasping of the passage of time. We
read for ten minutes and he asks me if it's been 4 hours yet. Having
an analog clock to look at helps him a lot, with hands moving around
in different places. Digital doesn't help much since he's dyslexic
and the numbers are just confusing.
He is only interested in getting the prizes and doesn't seem to care
what the motivations are of the library for wanting him to read,
doesn't ask, doesn't wonder. I just told him that the library is all
about books and it makes them happy when kids read, so they like to
encourage it lol.
So we got him the little booklet to track his reading time when we
went to the library this afternoon and he's been drawing pictures or
putting stickers into the little squares in the book that represent
each half hour being read to or looking at books himself. He's not a
delayed gratification kind of kid and has this idea that a prize will
materialize when he reches the 4 hour mark, or that we can go back to
the library instantly tonight and get it. In fact he wanted to sit in
the truck and read for 4 hours and then go back in a get a prize, not
understanding how long 4 hours really is.
I've been reading to him all afternoon and evening now, as time
between meals prep and so forth permitted, and he's got about 3 hours
marked off. This really is not that out of the ordinary around here
though, as he often hounds me to read to him until my voice gives
out. I keep warning him that the prizes might not be too spectacular
and he needs to be prepared in case they are not what he's hoping. I
can see a huge tantrum if he's hoping for and visualizing something
specific and the prize is disappointing to him. Autistics don't shift
thought gears easily.
Meanwhile his 7 year old brother amicably (as usual) said Yeah! he
wanted to try it out as well, since his brother is doing it, and got
his own booklet. I've marked his time off for him because he doesn't
seem to care much, and I know from experience with him that whatever
they give him, paper bookmark, eraser, pencil, plastic ring, whatever
their prizes are, he will be happy as a clam and say "Ooooo, thanks!"
lol He's a pretty easy kid. He may not care to continue after the
first prize if he doesn't think it's really cool though, just be happy
with what he got and say "no thanks" to marking off any more time in
the booklet. I doubt he will read any longer than he normally does
either way.
I find myself wondering if this stuff actually works on other kids,
because aside from being excited about prizes and keeping track of
reading time it seems to be business as usual around here with books.
I guess schooled kids often avoid schooly stuff and shun reading
during their summer of freedom and the powers that be are trying to
counteract that? Mine have never been in a school, or preschool, or
daycare, so it's hard for me to visualize what it's like in homes
where there is another reality.
Nanci K.
Dana Matt
--- "Nanci K." <aisliin@...> wrote:
previously--We checked out the one at our Bellingham,
WA library, and it is lovely! They encourage "20
minutes of reading a day", but that is it. Whenever
you come in, they have you write your name on a dragon
scale, no matter how much you've read, and all the
kids try to fill up the dragon with scales...then at
the end you get to meet the mayor. No prizes! I am
so pleased with it! Much better than all the prizes
at other libraries we've been to!
Dana
Guadalupe's Coffee Roaster
100% Organic Fair Trade Coffee
Roasted to Perfection Daily
http://www.guadalupescoffee.com
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> Well I talked to my kids about the reading programI wanted to comment about the conversation about this
> at the library that
> I outlined here earlier: a prize for every 4 hours
> read.
previously--We checked out the one at our Bellingham,
WA library, and it is lovely! They encourage "20
minutes of reading a day", but that is it. Whenever
you come in, they have you write your name on a dragon
scale, no matter how much you've read, and all the
kids try to fill up the dragon with scales...then at
the end you get to meet the mayor. No prizes! I am
so pleased with it! Much better than all the prizes
at other libraries we've been to!
Dana
Guadalupe's Coffee Roaster
100% Organic Fair Trade Coffee
Roasted to Perfection Daily
http://www.guadalupescoffee.com
____________________________________________________
Yahoo! Sports
Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football
http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com
Barbara Chase
>I guess schooled kids often avoid schooly stuff and shun readingThe idea that I had is that this gives the family (ie. parents) something
>during their summer of freedom and the powers that be are trying to
>counteract that?
to continue during summer, like homework. That way the "school routine"
isn't broken too much, the kids won't have tooo much Summer freedom, and
maybe it won't be so hard (on the parents!) to transition back in the Fall.
Don't know though, I can only imagine....
Barbara
Gold Standard
>>then atThose poor non-readers don't get to meet the mayor? Dang! That's not fair!
>>the end you get to meet the mayor.<<
I guess they could just go to city hall and meet him.
Jacki, feeling a little sarcastic about reading programs
Dana Matt
> >>then atNo, readers and non get to meet the mayor. Everyone
> >>the end you get to meet the mayor.<<
>
> Those poor non-readers don't get to meet the mayor?
> Dang! That's not fair!
>
> I guess they could just go to city hall and meet
> him.
is encouraged to meet the mayor at the end. And
non-readers are encouraged to put their names up
whenever they come to the library as well. It is the
least "reading" reading program I've seen!
Dana
Guadalupe's Coffee Roaster
100% Organic Fair Trade Coffee
Roasted to Perfection Daily
http://www.guadalupescoffee.com
____________________________________________________
Yahoo! Sports
Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football
http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/28/2005 10:38:34 PM Central Standard Time,
aisliin@... writes:
I keep warning him that the prizes might not be too spectacular
and he needs to be prepared in case they are not what he's hoping. I
can see a huge tantrum if he's hoping for and visualizing something
specific and the prize is disappointing to him.
~~~
It seems to me that you had to talk him into it a little. Could you have
just dropped it altogether at some point in the conversation and would he have
been okay with that? Is this something he could easily forget before you go
to the library? I'm feeling sorry for him already, thinking that the prize
might be built up in his mind, and after all the conversation you had to have
to get him to understand. I'm wondering if it's too late to let it go and
avoid that possible tantrum situation?
If it's not too late to just drop it and move on to something else with him,
but the library visit will remind him of the prize--I'd fill in his 4 hours,
probably 8 or 12, just so he can avoid a tantrum. Maybe 2 or 3 prizes will
make up for one prize not being a new car. ;) He's read 8 or 12 hours
already in the last month if he begs you to read until you lose your voice.
I hope it works out to a peaceful end with no disappointment.
Karen
www.badchair.net
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
aisliin@... writes:
I keep warning him that the prizes might not be too spectacular
and he needs to be prepared in case they are not what he's hoping. I
can see a huge tantrum if he's hoping for and visualizing something
specific and the prize is disappointing to him.
~~~
It seems to me that you had to talk him into it a little. Could you have
just dropped it altogether at some point in the conversation and would he have
been okay with that? Is this something he could easily forget before you go
to the library? I'm feeling sorry for him already, thinking that the prize
might be built up in his mind, and after all the conversation you had to have
to get him to understand. I'm wondering if it's too late to let it go and
avoid that possible tantrum situation?
If it's not too late to just drop it and move on to something else with him,
but the library visit will remind him of the prize--I'd fill in his 4 hours,
probably 8 or 12, just so he can avoid a tantrum. Maybe 2 or 3 prizes will
make up for one prize not being a new car. ;) He's read 8 or 12 hours
already in the last month if he begs you to read until you lose your voice.
I hope it works out to a peaceful end with no disappointment.
Karen
www.badchair.net
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Karen Matlock
I took almost-9-dd to the library and noticed the reading program while I
was there.
"Do you want to join?" She shrugged and said sure, so we got all the
materials. She looked it over, kept the free ice cream coupon and the
bookmark, and chunked the rest. Went back to reading. :)
Karen
was there.
"Do you want to join?" She shrugged and said sure, so we got all the
materials. She looked it over, kept the free ice cream coupon and the
bookmark, and chunked the rest. Went back to reading. :)
Karen
Nanci K.
> "Do you want to join?" She shrugged and said sure, so we got all theThomas is 8 1/2 as well. We don't get any free ice cream though, no
> materials. She looked it over, kept the free ice cream coupon and the
> bookmark, and chunked the rest. Went back to reading. :)
> Karen
dragon scales or place to write their names up and make a big deal of
them either (which Thomas would like.)
Nanci K.