Letters from Teachers

There is no more important skill a child can acquire than the ability to read with ease and accuracy.  In our increasingly technological world, illiteracy is a serious barrier to success as an adult.  For many children, the beginning of a lifelong love of reading is the first brand new book they can call their own.  Unfortunately, many children in Chicago share one common problem: poverty-line family income, making the purchase of children’s books difficult.  In addition, many of the schools which the children attend have less than optimal libraries in the classrooms and in the school as a whole.  In a 2003 study, that outlined the research based characteristics of high motivation and high performing classrooms (Pressley et al. 2003, in Allington 2006), the following characteristics were shared by highly effective schools:

Classroom is filled with books at different levels.

Teacher introduces new books and displays them in the classroom.

Teacher does expressive read-alouds.

Schools must work with outside organizations and funders to increase the diversity and volume of classroom and school libraries, allowing students to check out books for reading at home.  In addition, schools must find additional ways to provide texts to children.  Organizations such as Reading Is Fundamental and Rock for Reading are important partners in helping schools place books in children’s hands.

Colleen McVeigh   Ravenswood Elementary School, CPS

Access to high quality literature is essential to enhancing the literacy of all children.  This access cannot be limited to schools and public libraries:  Children need to have books at home, within an arm’s reach, available anytime.  Children who read a variety of texts have a wider vocabulary and come to learning with background knowledge gained from literary experiences.  Most importantly, students must be exposed to all genres of literature: fiction and nonfiction; poetry and prose; expository, narrative, and persuasive. Reading a variety of texts exposes students to different kinds of writing and different purposes for reading. The rich texts offered by Rock for Reading will undoubtedly enhance the literary lives of students at Poe Classical!

Emily Gay    Edgar Allan Poe Classical School

Greetings ROCK FOR READING FAMILY, I would just like to say THANK YOU one million times for the worderful books and for us making HISTORY together. It was an honor to be the customer that sent RFR over the 500,000 in donations mark. You are doing a great service to the students in the CPS community. It is because of you our schools and our students have GREAT BOOKS! Words cannot express the gratitude and appreciation that Bennett/Shedd Elementary School has for you and ROCK FOR READING!

BENNETT/SHEDD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TRULY ROCKS FOR READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reading is an important part of our day! We read many books each day.  One student, when asked what he likes about reading, said “I like to look at the pictures and listen to the words.”  In a PreK classroom it is important to expose the children to concepts of print and reading at a young age.  Furthermore, by reading a variety of books it fosters a love for reading.  The library is a choice during centers that students choose frequently.  The students get excited when new books are placed in the library and have favorites that they want read to them time and time again.  Reading is an important part of our classroom and we are thankful for the opportunity to provide books to our students free of charge.

Julie Hill  Pilsen Community Academy

I believe that in our fast-paced technological world, it is crucial to provide children with the experience of a book. Only through books can we build our own, unique, imaginations and escape into worlds very different from our own. It is through books that children can expand their knowledge about almost anything that is of interest to them. When you put a book in a child’s hands, you are giving them a tool that will help them grow throughout their lives.

Maria Markovic  Lyman A. Budlong School

Thank you so much for all of the terrific books!! The kids were so excited!  When they walked in and saw all of the books out on the desks for them to take, they started cheering.  One student told me she didn’t care what book she received as long as it was a new book, because she never had one.  Some students said they didn’t want to take books for themselves, but would rather take for little brothers and sisters who are learning to read.  (Of course they got books for themself too!)  These books were split up between five sixth grade classes, a second grade and three special education classes.  In total, about 200 students will be leaving with new books to take home.  Many of the special education students in the lower grades are unable to read, but they said they can’t wait for mom or dad to read to them tonight.  I am so happy that so many of our students will be able to start a home library.  I am hoping that these students will go home and ask a parent to read with them or will read to a sibling or cousin.  These books will touch so many people and we cannot thank you enough!

Mindy Gonzalez   Locke School

One of the most effective ways to improve a child’s vocabulary is to get him or her to read more! The more words that a child is exposed to, the more he or she will retain and use. Rock for Reading has enabled our students to access hundreds more texts than they could before I was in touch with this program. Our high school library started as three bookshelves filled with books donated by other teachers. Now, we find ourselves ordering extra bookshelves to house the additional books. Thank you!

Lisa Nickele  Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy

A million thanks!  What Rock for Reading does is phenomenal. Excellent literacy skills are our students’ key to a brighter future that includes success in high school, graduation from college, and being informed and productive citizens.  We preach the importance of reading with your child every night to our parents so it’s critical that we are able to supply them with a steady stream of high quality and engaging books to read.  Rock for Reading’s donation allows us to have well stocked classroom libraries where students can browse and be excited about taking home books to share with their parents.  We can’t thank you enough.

Kent D. Steiner   South Shore Fine Arts Academy

I believe that students will become better, and more successful, readers when they have the opportunity to read.  Such a simple statement should be obvious, however many of our students do not have this opportunity.  Many classrooms and schools have limited funds and can not always purchase new books other than text books.  Also many students in urban schools come from low income homes; their families simply do not have the money to purchase books and often do not have the time to go to the library.  As a teacher, I feel a responsibility to provide a variety of reading materials for my students.  These materials must be able to be used both in the classrooms and at home.  The more students are able to read for leisure the more they want to read, the more they want to read the better reader they become.

Stacy Bourbon  Haugan Elementary School

Dear Rock for Reading, A “great, big thank you” to you for sending many, many books for our students in Area One to read, enjoy, and learn from! All of our twenty-nine schools have received books for their students from Rock for Reading. On behalf of all the schools, teachers, administrators, parents and students, we graciously thank you and look forward to reading all of the exciting books!

Debbie Fitzgerald   Area One Reading Coach

Ashburn Community School appreciates Rock for Reading! Your book donation will reach our learning community in several ways. A copy of the George Washington Carver title will be presented to each classroom teacher during Black History Month. Copies will also be added to the library collection and awarded to students. A second title, Flower Girl Friends, will be distributed to 3rd – 5th grade girls. For many students, the book you donated will be the first in their personal libraries. Thank you for the opportunity to add to our school library. Additionally, we are now able to place needed books in the hands of students and teachers. Because of budget issues, we seldom have the chance to do anything like this. Thank you, again, for the opportunity and all the possibilities it offers!

Yolanda Lewis  Ashburn Community School

You rock!  Thank you so incredibly much for the opportunity to get free, quality books for the students of Owen Scholastic Academy.  As the media center specialist, I have a deep affection for literacy and am on a mission to make sure that literature is a part of every students life. I know how fundamental reading is to a person’s life both academically and even personally. The chance to present a student with their own book is very rewarding because I have the satisfaction of knowing that I have given a seed that could possibly develop into them becoming a life long learner and lover of literature. I pray this program will continue in the future and touch even more students as a result.

Rita Mitchell, Media Specialist   Owen Scholastic Academy