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By Joe Nathan
Center for School Change
How do you make oil boil? (Add a b) What is the
best thing to wear to a tea party? (A tea shirt) How many worms can you
put in an empty can? (One. After that it is not empty). How do you make
seven even? (Take away the “s”. What has four eyes but cannot see?
(Mississippi) If you are now groaning, I apologize.
This week I’m departing from the usual discussion of educational issues
to describe several wonderful, brightly illustrated inexpensive books
that families, schools and kids (ages 4 to 6 or 7) will have lots of
fun with.
Or, as one elementary teacher told me – “These are very entertaining,
enjoyable, as well as educational.” I’m referring to six books with
titles like “Gags and Giggles from A-Z, Slithery, Squirmy Jokes,
Jumpin’ Jungle Jokes. Laugh out Loud Jokes, Funny Bunny Jokes and
School Time Riddles ‘n’ Giggles.” They are written by Diane Namm,
published by Sterling (http://www.sterlingpublishing.com), and cost
$3.95 each. Cheap!
Normally I do not use this column to promote commercial products. But
these delightful books (starting with “Gags and Giggles from A-Z, and
Slithery Squirmy Jokes,” which supplied the questions above) seem so
useful and entertaining that I am departing from the usual column. I
can see a family having a lot of fun for weeks with these books, each
of which cost less than a single movie ticket or movie rental. And the
books will be around, long after you’ve forgotten all or most of a
movie.
If you’ve read this far, you don’t have to be convinced of the
importance of families reading together. This, incidentally, can
continue into teenage years.
Our family read classic mystery or adventure books, like “Tom Sawyer,”
“Kidnapped” or one of the Harry Potter books a few times a week, until
our youngsters were 13 or 14. Sometimes the adults picked the books,
sometimes the kids did it. We spent 10-15 minutes and passed the book
around: each of us reading a page or two. If we want youngsters to
value reading, we won’t just talk about it...we’ll do it
This of course is NOT instead of working and playing on a computer,
which many kids and adults love. Reading together can, and I think
SHOULD be a part of what families do. Adults will need to take the lead
on this, Youngsters almost never will initiate a family reading time.
Sometimes there will be resistance. But if the time is relatively brief
(10-15 minutes), the books are entertaining, and the youngsters are
allowed to help select the books, it can and will work.
So I leave you with a few questions: Why don’t bananas get lonely?
(They go around in bunches). What appears once in a second, twice in a
week, and once in a year? (the letter E). What’s a bunny’s favorite
music? (hip-hop). These, and other dumb but entertaining questions from
Diane Namm can be part of your family’s reading time.
Joe Nathan, a former public school teacher and administrator, directs
the Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of
Minnesota
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