super reader

Congratulations, First Little Nguyen, on your Accelerated Reader award! There was a ceremony at the First Little Nguyen's school this morning to celebrate the literary accomplishments of many of the school's students. We are fortunate that his kindergarten teacher encourages her students to participate in the Accelerated Reading program at this early age. Until they are able to read on their own, she helps her students take the AR tests after they read the books, reading the comprehension questions to them. I think it is fantastic that she takes the time, and makes it a priority with all of the other things she has to do, to help the kids 1:1 with the AR program! While he began the year having books and questions read to him, he ends this school year being able to select appropriate books, read them to Chi or I, and reads the test questions as well. Some kindergarten teachers prefer that their students wait until they are older to begin this program, but I say Why wait? Why wait to get them enthused about reading? Why wait to teach them comprehension? If they like doing it and are ready for it, why wait? It's a perfect example of how we sometimes put a limit on what kids should learn at a particular age. If they are ready and the information is presented, the children become sponges and begin to soak it up. If they don't right away, they will! The First Little Nguyen's teacher has really has given her students a leg up with solid literacy instruction and in it she works hard to build their comprehension skills. Coming from a former teacher (and still a teacher at heart!), that's a big compliment. Hat's off to the First Little Nguyen's teacher!

Enough of the opinion editorial. While he was proud of his accomplishment, the First Little Nguyen was not happy about taking time to pose for pictures. The students were rewarded with doughnuts, and anyone who knows my child knows he loves a doughnut. He was eager to run off and find a glazed, open-holed circle of dough rather than stand there and be photographed by his mother. Afterwards, however, I did get him to stand with two of his classmates for a photo. The one in the middle is truly the happiest, smiliest, giggliest child I have ever seen. If I ever have a daughter, I hope God sends me one with a smile like hers. And the one in polka dots is the girl of my son's dreams. Although she wears a sweet dress today, she prefers sneakers, ponytails, and the boys' club. She runs faster than most of the boys, and she's the one to beat in burlap sack-racing. For a six-year old boy, that's true love.