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...from the Executive Director:
Everyone has a Role
We all have a role to play in supporting the literacy of our "Brown Babies". Whoever you are - a family member, an educator, a community member, a church member, or a business community member - you have many opportunities to help equip our African-American children for achievement in the world, starting with literacy. You can:
· Read to the children in
your life
· Give books to children
· Volunteer to read to
groups of children or
lead book clubs at
church, a community
organization, or a
homeless shelter
· DONATE to Brown Baby
Reads!
The possibilities are truly endless. Large or small, you need to know that your unique contribution makes a difference.
For those already actively engaged in supporting literacy for "Brown Babies", we applaud you. For those still on the sidelines, we need you! Look for ways to help. Find your role and let's get it done.
Dawn |
The mission of Brown Baby Reads is to celebrate, encourage, and promote literacy among African-American children and youth.
Board of Directors Jalaimya Miller, Board President
Karen Burke Dawn Eddy, Executive Director
Aisha McBride
Advisory Board
Regina Armour Felicia Seals-Buchanan Rachel Cavalier Stephanie Kulke Naamon Moorman Dr. Jean Murphy
Dr. Mary Ann Smith-Owens
Traci Brown-Powell |
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Some of our Supporters
 
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Greetings!
Happy Holidays!
December book selections are posted. Click here for this month's book selections, or here for the book database. If you have any last minute shopping - make it a lasting gift - buy a book for the special children in your life!
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 Advisory Board Member Articles
The members or our Advisory Board bring a wealth of expertise to our organization and those we serve. This month, we feature an article by Dr. Jean C. Murphy, Ed.D., of Chicago State University. Dr. Murphy's research examines the African-American parenting behaviors that most positively impact school success. Look for articles from the esteemed members of our Advisory Board in each newsletter! |
 Keep Up Parents: Put Reading Firstby Dr. Jean C. Murphy, professor
Chicago State University
KEEP UP! This popular phrase is used by many young people as they attempt to explain new technologies to more senior persons. The phrase also has currency with parents, family members, and legal guardians (Parents) who are not actively involved in their children's reading development, and who appear unaware of their critical role in getting children started along the journey of reading. Delpit (1988) suggests, and I concur, that parents must be involved in educational decisions regarding their children.
KEEP UP parents! An interest in, and appreciation for reading/literacy begins with you, not the schools. Researchers (Dickinson and Tabors, 2001) suggest that reading can begin at home, long before children go to school, from the day they are born. Parents form the building blocks requisite for formal reading and writing skills taught in school.
Parents can put their children at-risk of reading failure [when they wait five years] for the school system to start the reading process (Hart and Risley, 1995). Conversely, parents who expose their children, from birth, to an abundance of words, rich vocabularies, and stimulating experiences enable their children to do well in school, and reading in particular. These children often enter school ready to learn and often perform at high levels. Children who enter school with weak vocabularies and language skills often fail to catch up, and end up at risk for academic failure. Torgesen (2004) suggests that children who are poor readers at the end of first grade are almost never able to catch up. This delay in development affects vocabulary, reading growth, and alters children's attitudes and motivations to learn. Parents can influence their child's progress along the reading continuum by being actively involved from infancy; they can give him/her a head start so that their child is in a state of readiness for learning at the point of school entry. KEEP UP!
Click here to continue reading and find the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for success in reading.
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There is Still Time to Donate
As 2010 is quickly coming to an end, there is still time to get in your donation. Our work is making an impact in the lives of children both locally and nationally. We receive testimonies from teachers and parents alike. Be it from a teacher reporting of their student's excitement & engagement with books from our Classroom Support program or a parent thrilled with our literacy internet resources. All points lead to the work we have ahead of us and the steps of success we have achieved thus far.
We thank you for your consideration and look forward to partnering with you to sustain our efforts to increase literacy among our "Brown Babies". Click here to Donate |
Again, if you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to email us at feedback@brownbabyreads.com. Have a wonderful holiday season and great new year. |
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Sincerely,
The Brown Baby Reads Staff
Brown Baby Reads is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are tax-deductible. If you would like to donate towards our mission to celebrate, promote and encourage Literacy in African-American children, click here. |
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