March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’ 109th Birthday. And each year it is celebrated all over the United States through the Read Across America program. March 1, 2013 is NEA’s Read Across America Day. Straight from the National Education Association website, here is more about the Read Across America program, What is NEA’s Read Across America? NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss. NEA’s Read Across America also provides NEA members, parents, caregivers, and children the resources and activities they need to keep reading on the calendar 365 days a year. In cities and towns across the nation, teachers, teenagers, librarians, politicians, actors, athletes, parents, grandparents, and others develop NEA’s Read Across America activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages. Governors, mayors, and other elected officials recognize the role reading plays in their communities with proclamations and floor statements. Athletes and actors issue reading challenges to young readers. And teachers and principals seem to be more than happy to dye their hair green or be duct-taped to a wall if it boosts their students’ reading. How and when did NEA’s Read Across America begin? In May 1997, a small reading task force at NEA came up with a big idea. “Let’s create a day to celebrate reading,” the group decided. “We hold pep rallies to get kids excited about football. We assemble to remember that Character Counts. Why don’t we do something to get kids excited about reading? We’ll call it ‘NEA’s Read Across America’ and we’ll celebrate it on Dr. Seuss’s birthday.” And so was born on March 2, 1998, the largest celebration of reading this country has ever seen. Why NEA’s Read Across America? Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school. Who sponsors NEA’s Read Across America? At the national level, the National Education Association sponsors and spearheads the program with support from 40 national nonprofit and association partners. Locally, everyone—from schools...

March is full of reading fun! =) YIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEE! March is National Reading Awareness Month, also known as National Reading Month. You are encouraged to read aloud to your children, friends, family, spouses, co-workers, whoever will listen, for at least 15 minutes per day every day this month. How hard can it be, really? This will hopefully become a habit you wish to continue. I encourage everyone to get involved. Click on the picture below for more details on Read Aloud’s 15 MINUTE Movement: March also happens to have a few other reading holidays–Dr. Seuss’ 109th birthday is March 2nd; the National Education Association’s Read Across America event kicks on the 1st of March; World Book Day is March 7th as well as World Read Aloud Day and last but not least, March 25th is Tolkien Reading Day.  So! Start early and begin to find out what everyone around you wants to read and see if those books are at the local library. Maybe check out two copies and commit to reading with them. You can take turns reading aloud. It is fun to read with people out loud, even grown ups with other grown ups. I do it all the time. I think a part of us will always love to be read...

What do you have planned? Will you take the reader’s oath with me? Reader’s Oath Written by Debra Angstead, Missouri-NEA I promise to read Each day and each night. I know it’s the key To growing up right. I’ll read to myself, I’ll read to a crowd. It makes no difference If silent or loud. I’ll read at my desk, At home and at school, On my bean bag or bed, By the fire or pool. Each book that I read Puts smarts in my head, ‘Cause brains grow more thoughts The more they are fed. So I take this oath To make reading my way Of feeding my brain What it needs every day.   Shall we read it aloud? I will, if you will! We can post our oaths...

Read Across America Poem You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, To pick up a book and read with a child. You’re never too busy, too cool, or too hot, To pick up a book and share what you’ve got. In schools and communities, Let’s gather around, Let’s pick up a book, Let’s pass it around. There are kids all around you, Kids who will need Someone to hug, Someone to read. Come join us March 1st Your own special way And make this America’s Read to Kids Day. All rights reserved by National Education Association for the photo and the...

Tomorrow, March 2nd, is Read Across America Day. From the National Education Association website, The National Education Association is building a nation of readers through its signature program, NEA’s Read Across America. Now in its thirteenth year, this year-round program focuses on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources. NEA’s Read Across America Day, NEA’s national reading celebration takes place each year on or near March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too! On March 2, the National Education Association calls for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult. Who will you read with tomorrow?   And I’d also like to wish Ralph Ellison a happy birthday today, thank you for your literary contribution to the world, Invisible Man. (Not to be mistaken with H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man.) Invisible...