Comments on: Welcome to our blog! http://www.rockforreading.org/welcome-to-our-blog Creating a Nation of Readers! Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:01:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Victor Iturralde http://www.rockforreading.org/welcome-to-our-blog/comment-page-1#comment-2 Victor Iturralde Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:04:14 +0000 http://www.rockforreading.org/?p=515#comment-2 Getting students caught up in reading is everyones' business. It is an absolute necessity. Reading ability in early elementary school is the strongest predictor of future academic success. The average reading level of our nations prison population is late 2nd grade. By far, the biggest reading problem in low income communities and those with high levels of English Language Learners is the absence of books in the home. Reading books to children at home exposes them to 17% more "rare words" than the common language of a college student. The literacy level required for today's entry level employment is a higher level than college freshman courses. Thanks to Rock for Reading, our school was able to give every single one of our 588 students a brand new hardcover book for their very own home library! It was totally awesome to see the students faces light up! As an educator, whenever we can get students excited about reading, we experience nirvana. And that is exactly what it was last Friday as Rock for Reading Vice President, Paul Natkin joined us in distributing the new books to classrooms just before students were off a week for spring break. My name is Victor Iturralde and I am the principal of the Chicago Academy Elementary School on Chicago's Northwest side. Rock for Reading, I am forever indebted to you! Thanks!!!! Getting students caught up in reading is everyones’ business. It is an absolute necessity. Reading ability in early elementary school is the strongest predictor of future academic success. The average reading level of our nations prison population is late 2nd grade. By far, the biggest reading problem in low income communities and those with high levels of English Language Learners is the absence of books in the home. Reading books to children at home exposes them to 17% more “rare words” than the common language of a college student. The literacy level required for today’s entry level employment is a higher level than college freshman courses.

Thanks to Rock for Reading, our school was able to give every single one of our 588 students a brand new hardcover book for their very own home library! It was totally awesome to see the students faces light up! As an educator, whenever we can get students excited about reading, we experience nirvana. And that is exactly what it was last Friday as Rock for Reading Vice President, Paul Natkin joined us in distributing the new books to classrooms just before students were off a week for spring break.

My name is Victor Iturralde and I am the principal of the Chicago Academy Elementary School on Chicago’s Northwest side. Rock for Reading, I am forever indebted to you! Thanks!!!!

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