Reading with Children

Is it Connecticut only or the whole US asks kids to read books and list them during summer vacation?

I'm getting really angry because our teachers will make us write about one book that we read this summer! I also think this is unfair because it's our vacation and the school can't do anything to make it bad. In the Philippine Islands where I used to lived, when we get out of school for summer, teachers won't even ask us to read something only parents do that! Somehow, summer vacation in the Philippine Islands is better than summer vacation here!

Public Comments

1. And that is why people are getting so stupid... whining about having to read one book in 3 months.
2. whole. also in nyc. i think.................... if it's not, SO TOTALLY NOT FAIR!!
3. Wewrite about 2 books every month during a schoolyear and 10 books during summer, although im having my last year of school. Let me introduce you Lithuania, Vilnius lyceum, international baccalaureate class.
4. Arizona does it too and honestly it isn't that hard. When you are in college they give you assignments to have done before your first day of class, get over it.
5. the only time I had to read books for school during summer is for my honors english class in 9th grade. It was your own choice to take the class, so people didn't complain about having to read the books. You might want to get used to it though...reading's fun!!
6. When I was growing up in Wisconsin (not too long ago) we didn't have any summer assignments, but here in Alabama all the schools require 2-5 books over the summer for everyone in middle and high school. Usually the kids have to read one particular book, then get their choice from a list for the rest. So you're not the only person who has summer reading - but compared to how much homework you have during the year, it's not bad at all!
7. Thank goodness the teachers where you live want you to read over the summer time. Reading is a great way to pass the time away. Here where I live in Canada which is the west coast the teachers don't give out reading list for the summer time to students. As for where I was born and raised in the part of Canada called the Middle West none of my teachers gave me reading list. One things for sure if you do read your English will improve and English people speaking people will understand what you are saying. I wish the teachers here in many of the schools here in Canada would do the same as your teachers are doing in Connecticut and have these kids read books over the summer time. Also one other thing books are link to different cultures the more you read about the country you live in may it be fiction and non-fiction books the more you learn about that country. As you know schools also teach history so this will go hand in hand, this reading of books over the summer and you learning about the history of the U.S.
8. Studies have shown that children who do not read over the summer take until December to regain reading skills just from the end of the previous school year. In other words, if you don't read over the summer, you will spend all of August, September, October, November, and December catching up on your reading skills.....that's gaining only half a school year of learning each year. It is very wise to have children read over the summer. I am a media specialist at an elementary school. I ask kids to read books over the summer and they get prizes for it. I do not require a specific book because it is so much better if kids pick their own books to read rather than being forced to read something they won't like. There's so many great books out there! It doesn't have to be a long book or an old boring book. Go to your public library or to a book store. Ask someone for some suggestions and then make your own choices of what to read. Or post another question here with your age/grade and ask for suggestions. I'm listing a website that tells about great books. Try reading to your cat or dog (dogs are the best pet to read to) or a young sibling. Write your own stories and share with other friends to read .....and read their stories. Get some books on cd from the public library (you do have a library card???) and listen to books.