If there is one holiday pre-k teachers really enjoy it is Read
Across America day. The holiday, has always been a fun way for teachers
to highlight he importance of story book reading. Each year the National Education Association sponsors the national
event that celebrates the life and work of Ted Geisel, or as he is more commonly known, Dr. Seuss. The author has become
synonymous with reading and with that scruffy trouble making Cat in the
Hat. On March 2nd, kids in pre-k classes all over the country will eat
green scrambled eggs and Canadian ham, make red and white stove-pipe
hats, and hear their teachers make delightfully horrible rhymes while
reading their favorite Dr. Seuss books. 

I always took the entire
week to celebrate Dr. Seuss in my classroom. Some of my favorites were
the ones I knew my kids might not hear later in their school careers. I
figured my students  would hear the Cat in the Hat, A Wocket in My
Pocket, and Horton Hears a Hoo! later in their school careers. So I
would make a point to read And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street
(one of his first books), Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You? (a great
phonological awareness book), and Daisy-Head Mayzie (a story about
accepting differences and not selling out your gifts).

Remember,
these are long books. I never read a whole Dr. Seuss book in one
sitting, at least not after my first year. So take your time and enjoy
the stories. Some strategies are to read two pages a day, or half in the
morning and half after lunch. The Dr. Seuss website also has activities
and online games to support your day of reading fun.

Often in
our school, volunteers would come to read a Dr. Seuss book to our
students. This presents a particularly challenging but fun situation
because sometimes volunteers aren't sure how to read to your students in
an appropriate way. My suggestion is help your volunteer understand
what your children's normal attention span is, and proactively help your
students enjoy the reading. If your children get antsy, suggest to your
volunteer a stretch break, or moving like a Wocket for a minute before
continuing a story.

However, if you decide to celebrate reading
on Tuesday make sure it is fun. Maybe even Cat-in-the-Hat fun, just
don't forget to clean up before mom comes back to school. 

Image
from: http://newarklibrary.wordpress.com/2009/02/