Can You Spare 20 minutes? Sounds silly, right? I mean we all have an
extra 20 minutes in our day when we think about it. The St. Charles City-County Library Foundation recently launched
the TAKE 20 and READ campaign for literacy. The program focuses on the
importance of early literacy and helping families build critical literacy
skills for children to succeed in school and for adults to continue reading and
lifelong learning.
Why 20 minutes? Reading to a child
is the easiest and best way to help that child succeed in school and later in
life. I grew up immersed in language and literacy. We read with each and to
each other. We talked about books, discussed characters and themes. My husband
and I have raised our children the same way.
Let’s just think about this
mathematically. Let’s pretend we read just 20 minutes a day.
20 minutes x 30 days = 600 minutes or 10 hours per
month
10 hours x 12 months = 120 hours per year
120 hours x 5 years = 600 hours over 5 years
10 hours x 12 months = 120 hours per year
120 hours x 5 years = 600 hours over 5 years
That would mean that our children started
kindergarten with over 600 hours of knowledge building, engaged learning time
BEFORE they ever set foot in the classroom. The power of 20 minutes a day!
But what happens when children and
adults don’t get those same opportunities?
Sadly, currently 35 percent of children arrive at kindergarten
unprepared to learn. Most reading problems are not outgrown which means
students who are struggling readers in the early grades will continue to
struggle as adults without proper intervention. Reading effectively as an adult
directly impacts opportunities in all aspects of life, including education and
job preparedness but also self-esteem and quality of life. But with just 20
minutes a day, we will see a change in fundamental language and literacy
skills.
The St. Charles City-County Library
Foundation is challenging everyone in St. Charles County to Take 20 and Read! I
hope you will accept the challenge to read at least 20 minutes every day. It doesn’t
matter what you read, just read!
Our family took the pledge. I hope
you will stop and give me 20 for yourself, your children or grandchildren, and
for your greater community. If you complete the program you will also be
eligible to win a mini iPad! To register, visit http://www.take20andread.org/
or www.stchlibraryfoundation.org.
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