Springboards for discussion

Parents

It is never too early to comment on a book to your child, and as soon as possible, to engage your child in talking about a facet of the book with you. As your child grows you can stimulate discussions about issues the book raises, and soon your child will be asking questions and making statements about what she has heard you read (please see A Nation of Thinkers). Role playing can be your child's way of discussing what you have read to her, too. You may see her acting out parts of a book with her toys, or hear her take on the name and actions of one or more of the characters; or she may want you to enter into role playing with her.

Librarians and Teachers

Learning the art of critical reading/listening and thinking is a life skill far more important than any set of facts a child can master. Books to bring situations, events, and historical figures to life with terrific discussion possibilities are available to augment almost every kind of lesson plan. Yet making critical reading/listening and thinking a classroom and library priority in our fact/test-oriented age is extremely challenging. In some systems it can be an uphill battle, yet it's up to each of us to find a way to let our students from the earliest grades know that questioning and discussing what they hear and read is their right, because it will enable them to become critical, discerning readers and thinkers. Please see A Nation of Thinkers.