| Educators at all levels - from elementary school to | | | | subject sorely lacking in many schools), and that |
| middle school to high school - are increasingly | | | | integrates the program into a school success plan |
| frustrated about traditional approaches to reading. | | | | that transforms all students into achievers. |
| Although they're under enormous pressure to "teach | | | | For educators, one of the bonuses of adopting these |
| to the test," and achieve the benchmarks mandated | | | | kinds of children's books into the classroom is that |
| by the No Child Left Behind Act, teachers understand | | | | the books, children's music, and kids' DVDs do more |
| that children have a multitude of learning styles. Not | | | | than teach academic skills. Indeed, they also teach life |
| every child responds to the same teaching approach | | | | skills, such as conflict resolution and self-control. |
| or to the same materials. That's why teachers are | | | | Typically, these materials are also infused with |
| turning to children's books, children's music, and kids | | | | character building lessons. For example, safety might |
| DVDs that are designed to engage children who are | | | | be addressed in one song, while friendship might be |
| read/write learners, who are auditory learners, and | | | | covered in another. |
| who are kinesthetic learners. | | | | Upon reflection, it makes sense that these kinds of |
| Why are these books and ancillary materials | | | | multidisciplinary materials are making inroads into |
| successful? Because they build upon and complement | | | | schools. Not only do they engage children with many |
| one another, resulting in increased learning and higher | | | | different learning styles, but they enable children's |
| test scores. For example, the books are written to | | | | natural talents to be recognized and nurtured. |
| expand vocabulary, but at the same time are | | | | Whether a child is a budding artist, actor, or writer, |
| designed to engage kids' creativity with role-playing | | | | these materials enable him or her to shine. And, |
| activities. Similarly, audio books for children use the | | | | there's little doubt that kids achieve more and |
| read-aloud model to instill critical listening skills. The | | | | develop a greater love for learning when they |
| best educational children's book systems also offer | | | | succeed. |
| posters that depict characters in the books, and | | | | At a time when teachers around the country are |
| enable children to express their creativity through | | | | faced with increasingly scarce resources, they are |
| coloring. | | | | recognizing the value in adopting children's books, |
| To teachers, one of the best attributes of these | | | | children's music, and kids' DVDs that are |
| educational series is that the kids' books are aligned | | | | multidisciplinary and can do double- or triple-duty in |
| with standardized curricula and thus meet local and | | | | the classroom. Children are engaged, test scores rise, |
| state requirements. Moreover, some systems provide | | | | and kids are excited about learning. There's not a |
| a step-by-step program that teaches writing skills (a | | | | better combination of attributes. |