It's not too early to start getting ready for Read Across America. March will be here before you know it.
Since March 2, the day when the rest of the nation will observe the sixth annual celebration of reading, is Election Day in California, CTA-sanctioned events will take place March 4 instead.
CTA will kick off the day with a media event at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton. CTA leaders will join local elementary school students for breakfast and a read-a-thon. The event is meant to draw attention to RAA activities across the state.
The object of the celebration is to foster a love of reading. The theme is "Read for the Ride of Your Life."
Among the things you can do now:
Brainstorm ideas. Get your most creative members together and see what they can do to challenge students to read (like promising to kiss a frog or sit on the school roof if they read a record number of books).
Consult with your colleagues. See if neighboring schools are already making plans that can be coordinated for an even bigger and better event.
Remind your principal. Get required approval for any activities and enlist his or her help in making RAA a school-wide event.
Schedule guest readers. Invite parents and respected community members such as police, firefighters, local governmental leaders and local celebrities to come to your class on March 4 and read to students. Children are impressed when someone they look up to makes a special visit to share their love of reading.
CTA will ship a packet of support materials to local chapters in January.
Materials will also be available on the CTA website. NEA's 2004 resource kit and other materials are also available online [www.nea.org/readacross/resources/index.html].
Keep an eye on the CTA website. Updates will be posted as details become available.