Our social media feeds have been harbingers of heartbreak. Sickness, divisiveness, sorrow, and death have become all too commonplace. My heart breaks for those suffering through all these circumstances and I want to fix it. To mend broken hearts and right the wrongs, but then I am reminded that this is not my job. Only God can restore and I am calmed by His promises. 

Although I can't restore, I can spread love and encouragement by sending tangible reminders of God's love to people I love. In this distracted digital age a letter, an actual letter, is a special treat that fills the receiver's heart with love. So many people, especially those who are younger have never received a letter in the mail. In the words of Hannah Brencher, "They have never known themselves loved on a piece of paper." 

I started letter writing after a friend shared Brencher's TED talk with me. In less than five minutes my world was forever changed. It's not about the card or the timing. It's letting someone know that they are cared for and that you thought of them. In my letters I like to include encouraging verses or quotes, cartoons, an article the recipient might appreciate, puzzles, stickers, etc. Addressing the envelope is also a fun way to express yourself and celebrate the recipient.

On April 11, I will be hosting another letter writing event. I would be thrilled if you could come share the love with me. Come and choose note cards and postcards to send to people you love. I have a wide variety of cards as well as goodies to send along with the cards. If you are interested but unsure of what to say, I have books with suggestions and lots of inserts to make the recipient feel special. 

Cost is $5 to cover supplies and postage for two letters. 

       Lately, I’ve been trying to define some goals and gain some focus. I'm living digital, but there must be more. As I’ve said before defining my interests has always been a struggle, but nevertheless, I’m trying. I still want to explore other topics, but why? Why is bouncing all around and being random so prevalent in my life? The more I think about it the more one word comes to mind. Experience.
       I love to experience things AND I savor opportunities to engage others in new experiences.
Experience is crucial to understanding. This is true of everything. How can someone understand the need for kindness? By experiencing kindness. How can someone understand the delicious flavors and sensations of a home cooked meal? By eating a home cooked meal. How can someone appreciate the joy of receiving a letter in the mail? By receiving a letter in the mail.
       Imagine this: You want a friend to visit your favorite restaurant with you. Which of the following activities would most likely get them to understand and appreciate your love for the restaurant?

1. Bringing them the menu and reading every item to them, explaining the cooking processes. Quizzing them after your presentation to ensure they were listening.
2. Requiring they visit the restaurant and write a report detailing their impressions.
3. Visiting the restaurant with them. Ordering a variety of foods from the menu and engaging in the fun and ambiance that makes you love the restaurant.

       I think most people would naturally conclude that the best answer is option number 3. Which begs the question, why don’t we teach like that?
       Understandably, it would be difficult for our kids to experience everything they learn about in the classroom during school hours. Complications would be numerous and be challenging to overcome. My experience in the classroom tells me that this isn’t a practical expectation for teachers or administrators to organize.
       Proving children with experience cannot be one more thing thrust upon the classroom teacher to complete. Students need to spend time outside with their friends, with their families, and with their community. Visit an area museum, walk through a forest, tour a city. Many of these activities are free and require only small amounts of preparation but pay off in the opening of the child’s world with experiences that add value and depth of understanding.
       As I walk through schools, stores, and restaurants,  I cringe to see the large numbers of children hovering over their cell phones or iPad with their heads down looking into a screen. I worry that their worlds are shrinking. Experts tell us that being able to look up anything on the internet makes us less likely to do so. What’s that capital of Turkey? Who cares? I can look it up when I need to. (Read: The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains) That intellectual procrastination inhibits the curiosity that would stimulate the brain with the knowledge that Istanbul is a fascinating city with a intriguing history that would totally be worth looking up and remembering.
       Why are we so willing to allow our children to become absorbed in screens? They are safe. They are quiet. They are under control. I hear you. When we are out to dinner it is very easy to hand over a screen to quiet the child with me. They become absorbed in a game or video and I can enjoy my meal and time with friends. I get it. Sometimes it can be necessary, but we take advantage of it.
       Walks through the forest are messy. A virtual exploration of a Minecraft world is clean and tidy and leaves me with zero extra laundry. Trips to museums take time away from my time to work, clean, and relax. A day spent watching TV leaves me plenty of time to get my stuff done.
So what am I saying? Live in some screen free world and exhaust yourself entertaining your kids? NO!!! We need to live a life of intention that allows time for enriching activities.
       Find a forest and explore. You don’t need to know what to look for. Just play. Dig. Look for bugs. Listen for birds. Then go home. Later, when their teacher is trying to teach them about a forest ecosystem they will hook the information onto their previous experiences and grasp the material that much easier. Go to a museum. Find a free one so you don’t feel compelled to get your money’s worth. Ask questions. Use your imagination. Laugh at something if it looks silly. Later, those experiences will provide a framework for your child's teachers to build upon and develop. 
       This link will connect you with places I’ve visited and recommend. If you have any questions or would like more information on something please comment below. Let’s enrich our lives and the lives of those around us with experiences that provide depth and meaning.

If you enjoyed this post, please "like" it and consider subscribing to my blog. You can read my post about collecting experiences here. 

      Yes, okay. It is very unprofessional and definitely not grammatically correct to use all those exclamation points but this is a whole month dedicated to reading. A whole month! Dedicated to reading and books!!!! That deserves the use of gratuitous exclamation points if ever anything did. Every March, reading month is celebrated in schools across the country. Why March? Well, it's because Ted Geisel, Dr. Seuss, was born on March 2, 1904, and he made significant strides in encouraging children to read. If you want to know more about his contributions I would recommend Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel by Judith Morgan and Neil Morgan. 
       Anyway, schools across America will be doing all kinds of different reading programs to encourage reading among the students. Being a dedicated reader, this is a topic near and dear to my heart. When I was a first year English teacher I required the reading of the text book and possibly one outside book, but other nothing in addition. I was often asked by parents, "How can I get my child to read?" As my teaching progressed and I grew as a teacher, reader, and learner, I discovered that motivating others to read was more about leading by example than finding clever external motivations. Here are some things I learned along the way and have helped me grow reading programs and encourage life long learners. 

• Read together. At home, instead of making your child go up to their room and read alone like a punishment, make reading something you do together, them with their reading material and you with yours. Sit with them for 20 or 30 minutes and read with them. A physical book, magazine, or newspaper is best so your child knows you aren't distracted and looking at something else on your phone or tablet. One of the best ways to encourage children to read is to model it for them. Parents get mad that their children don't want to read, but if the parent is unwilling to spend time reading themselves, it sends a very clear message, "Reading is for kids not for grown-ups." While teaching in Romeoville, I was inspired by the Book Whisperer, Donalyn Miller. Her methods challenge kids and teachers to read deeply together. She encourages teachers model reading in front of their students to show them what a reader looks like. I remember thinking as I lay on my couch during the summer that this was a great idea, but when I got to school and it was time for the students to read in class I looked over at my desk and was tempted to use this time to get some papers graded so I could go home early. I gulped hard, told the students we were going to read for 15 minutes and picked up my book. I will never forget the looks on their faces as they realized with surprise that I was going to read for pleasure along with them. As the year progressed, we talked about the books we were reading and I read as many of the books they recommended as I possibly could. Their behavior and interest in reading was always much better when I was reading along with them.  It was also better when I told them to be quiet so I could focus on my reading. If I said, "Be quiet! It's reading time and you are supposed to be working," the students would continue murmuring and distracting each other. Instead I would say, truthfully, "I really like this book and I'm at a good part. Can you be quiet so I can read?" Every time they would quiet down so as not to disturb me. I still use this method when I'm subbing. It is amazing how cooperative students can be when you tell them you are enjoying yourself in a book. They grow quiet with a reverenced hush and usually try to look in their own book for that kind of connection. During reading time I would allow my class to move to a comfortable spot and curl up with their book. Occasionally, they would mess around and I'm sure not everyone was engaged, but the majority of the class was and we read a LOT of books. That year my 52 students read over 1,000 books! 
• Be honest about reading. It is okay to admit to a student that there are some books they won't like. I was reading through a book once that I refused to abandon because I was so far into it, but it was just awful. As I read it in front of my students, I would happily shut it after the timer ended because I was so happy to be done for the day. They knew I didn't like the book, but was pushing myself to get through it. Sometimes, I would make faces if the part I was reading was upsetting or gross. The students would watch me and ask about what I had read that day, "What happened? Why are you upset?" Often, they would pick up the book and read it after I was finished. Being honest and telling them that not all reading is good is more likely to hook them than guilting them into thinking that all reading is equal and they should never dislike it. I remember one student who told me he hated reading. At the time he had a book on his desk which I knew he was enjoying. I said," What do you mean you hate reading? Aren't you enjoying that book?" He responded, "Yes, I like this, but this isn't a real book," and then he gestured toward his textbook and said, "I hate reading this stuff." I assured him that most all normal people hate reading text books because they weren't meant to be read for high interest reading. Sure, publishers try, but it's an uphill battle to make a textbook something that anyone would call fun to read. I also assured him that he would only have to read textbooks for a few more years. The pleasure book on his desk was the real deal. 
• Discuss the books you are reading with them. According to Jim Trelease in the Read Aloud Handbook, many students don't understand that reading is a lifelong pursuit. They are told to do it by teachers and parents, but don't always connect it with adults and pleasure. Partly because it is generally a solo activity done in seclusion and partly because they just don't think about it. Teacher's posting signs outside their classrooms or telling their students what they are currently reading can make a deep impact on students. It's a type of solidarity that shows the students that learning is a life long pursuit. It says to the students, "Reading for pleasure and personal growth are not only what we tell YOU to do. It is something WE are doing too." 
• Read aloud. Students and children can be influenced to become readers when they are read to regularly. Jim Trelease has a list of suggested read alouds here. My favorite read aloud for babies is The Big Red Barn by Margaret Wise Brown. The words put babies into a trance making it the perfect bedtime story. For preschoolers the best read aloud is The Monster at the End of this Book. I would read this book anytime anywhere. Maybe I'll post a video of me reading it. This is one that my mom read to me and I just adored. As kids get older their interests will drive their preferences, but all stories come alive when read by a dynamic reader. 

       So how will you celebrate reading month? I recommend curling up with a good book then telling someone about it. Here's your challenge. Take a photo of a book that you are currently reading and post it on social media. Tag me! I would love to be part of the reading fun. Let's fill our feeds with encouragements to keep reading and growing. Subscribers will receive a copy of the poster I made for school. Encourage the teachers in your school to post what they are currently reading. We laminated ours so they can be updated with dry erase markers. 
       Never stop learning, Friends!