Reading Program Motivates Students at Carrollwood Day School

For the second year in a row, students at Carrollwood Day School are finding alternative ways to bond with their families and classmates by participating in a program called "CDS Reads."

From Feb. 22 until March 13, first through fifth-graders at CDS have been reading "The Cricket in Times Square" by George Selden at home with their families. During the day, they discuss the book in class, learning about New York - where the book is based - using online clips of Times Square that teachers show to students.

The premise of the program is to allow students the chance to bond with their families by reading the book instead of texting or watching TV.

"We received some pictures this year, and kids were reading to their dogs," said Shannon Gauthier, marketing director for the school. "Not as many people sit and read with their kids as they used to. Seems like families have gotten away with that with their busy schedules."

The "CDS Reads" program was spearheaded by school officials who looked for "innovative ways" for kids to get excited about reading, said Sandy Smith, a second grade teacher at CDS. Teachers kicked off the program by putting on a skit where they played characters from the book during a school assembly, Smith said.

"The whole idea was to have the family sit and share good literature," Smith said. "They chose two books last year."

Students are given a schedule of what chapters to read and when, Smith said.

"Depending on the age and reading ability of the child, some read the book aloud to their parents, or parents read to kids," Smith said. "It opens up conversations with kids, and it's something everybody is doing together to have dinner conversations."

Gauthier said the feedback from parents has been an incentive to keep the program going.

"We've had overjoyed parents who came to the last assembly, and they spoke about their experience," she said. "It was a good way to bring the family together to read versus looking at things online."