
Unbabbled
Unbabbled
Anjela Martinez and Jill Wood: Making Summer Reading Fun | Season 5, Episode 10
Summer is finally here! And while many kids have dreams of days spent at the pool, playing outside or having all day tv marathons, it is also the perfect time to kick back and relax with a good book! In this episode, Anjela Martinez from the Harris County Public Library Outreach Program and special co-host Parish School librarian, Jill Wood, share ways parents can support even their most reluctant readers over the summer. Throughout the episode Anjela and Jill discuss ways to promote reading for pleasure, tips for helping find your child books, and reassure us that audiobooks are reading too! Anjela also tells us about the many summer programs at the library to promote literacy- and you may be surprised to know that most of them do not involve reading!
Anjela Martinez is the Assistant Manager or Youth Services Programs, Partnerships and Outreach at the Harris County Public Library. In that role she works to promote literacy, develop library programs and build partnerships with other organizations, such as The Parish School. Jill Wood, MLIS, is the Director of Adventure play and Librarian at The Parish School.
Links:
Harris County Public Library Website
Harris County Public Library Summer Reading Program Sign-up
The Parish School Website
This episode of Unbabbled is sponsored by Soccer Shots Houston. Soccer Shots was founded in 1997 after recognizing a lack of quality soccer programs for children under 8 years old. Their program was formed under the guidance of childhood education specialists, professional soccer players and experienced and licensed soccer coaches. They use a developmentally appropriate curriculum, and the coaches place an emphasis on character development and skill building. To learn more about Soccer Shots visit their website at www.soccershots.com/houston.
Stephanie Landis (00:06):
Hello and welcome to UnBabbled, a podcast that navigates the world of special education, communication, delays and learning differences. We are your host, Stephanie Landis and Meredith Krummel. And we're certified speech language pathologist who spend our days at The Parish School in Houston, helping children find their voices and connect with the world around them.
(00:27):
Summer is finally here, and while many kids have dreams of days spent at the pool playing outside or having an all day TV marathon, it's also the perfect time to kick back and relax with a good book. In today's episode, Anjela Martinez from the Harris County Public Library Outreach Program and special co-host, Parish School librarian, Jill Wood, share ways parents can support even their most reluctant readers over the summer. Throughout the episode, Angela and Jill discuss ways to promote reading for pleasure, tips for helping your child find books that they will love and reassure us that audio books are reading too. Angela also tells us about the many summer reading programs happening at the library to promote literacy. And you may be surprised to know that most of them do not involve reading. We hope you have a fantastic summer and can spend a little bit of time at your local library.
Stephanie Landis (01:19):
Welcome, today on the podcast we have a very special co-host, our librarian and play worker, Jill Wood. Jill, welcome and thank you for stepping in and co-hosting with me today. Oh,
Angela Martinez (01:32):
Thank you for having me.
Stephanie Landis (01:33):
I'm glad to be here. And yeah, today we are talking all about summer reading. And to join us, we brought in Angela Martinez from the Harris County Public Library. Welcome Angela. Thank you for coming and speaking with us.
Angela Martinez (01:47):
Hi. Good morning Stephanie. Thank you for inviting me. And hi Jill again. Nice to see you. Hi, Angela.
Stephanie Landis (01:54):
Just to give us a brief background, what do you do at the Harris County Public Library?
Angela Martinez (01:59):
Well, I am the youth service assistant manager in our programs partnership and outreach division in our administration office. And that is like a full page of titles right there. Right. So basically, just to kind of tell you what I do, I support our branch staff at the 26 locations throughout Harris County. We work on literacy initiatives, we work on creating the larger programs in Harris County, such as summer reading.
Stephanie Landis (02:30):
Fantastic. Yay. So we're coming up on summer and oftentimes parents get and talk to us at the school about like what can we do to keep our kids reading? They've made all of this great progress over the school year. Like we don't want to have them to have that dreaded summer slump. Like what are things that we can do that are actually fun to encourage reading? My brain always goes to the library. Like I grew up going to the library. I take my kids to the library and so I am excited to talk about things that parents can do at the library. So what's your favorite program that you guys have going on at the library right now?
Angela Martinez (03:07):
Oh wow. We have so many, but I I love that you, I love that you talked about how when you were a child you participate in summer reading cuz that's how I was, I was the library child. I grew up in the library. I remember, you know, you would get like a sheet of paper and you do your reading log and you get a fun prize or you get like, I think at the time it was like a little Domino's Pizza. Domino's Pizza and they had one was a M C theater. Yes. Yeah, it was so cool. I mean, we have cool stuff like that. We don't, we're not doing the movies, but there's so much going on in our libraries during the summer. So summer reading, our summer reading program really encompasses more than just reading. Of course we wanna help prevent the summer slide, but we're spreading literacy, we're having enriching programs throughout the summer that's providing a safe space for our reluctant readers and to help great engage families in programs and activities.
(04:02):
So lemme just talk about a few of the fun summer reading programs that we have going on this summer that if you check out our website, you can find where they're located. So we partnered with a lot of fun organizations in our community. So we are gonna have books alive. They're gonna have 17 different performances being offered at H C P L, so they're gonna have a fully staged 45 minute musical on the book by Sandy Asher. Too many frogs. So that's gonna be a lot of fun. Oh, that, that's such a good book. I love that book. Book and the costumes I've seen pictures of costumes are gonna be fantastic. So be sure to check out hpo.net to find out where that's gonna be. We also have Bright Star Theater now. They curated a series of plays that fit right into our summer reading program theme, which is all together now and we're focusing on kindness, friendship, and unity.
(05:00):
Oh, cool. So they're gonna have five different shows that are gonna be offered at seven different locations. We also have a bit of magic who doesn't like magic shows. Right. We're gonna have John o John O'Brien, he'll be at a few locations in the summer. We also have Tommy. Terrific, wacky magic. Have you guys ever seen Tommy Terrific. Any of the shows? No. He's so fun. He, the kids like he's hilarious. The kids love him. So he has a new show that is inspired by again, our altogether now theme and his magic show is called Peace Magic Show. And it's gonna help kids inspire kids really to foster peace in their homes, communities, and throughout the world. And he does this by his, he by using his humor and magic. Do you guys know about Andy Ru and the Andy Ru inverse?
Stephanie Landis (05:55):
No, I'm learning so I
Angela Martinez (05:57):
Know. I know. So he is a children's entertainer and the kids go wild for him. He brings in his, his instruments and he sings and dance. And so he sings songs about everything from dinosaurs to rainbows to recycling. And his his performances are really for kids about kinder through sixth grade. So that good elementary school age and he'll be at seven different H C P O locations. We also, for the older kids, we have American Robotics Academy now they'll be coming in to encourage kids to learn to build and play using legal Mindstorms. And they stopped by at one of our maker staff meetings and they encouraged staff to, to build robots. And we built these BattleBots and we got to battle each other. So that was fun team building. But the kids, again, they'll be having similar projects throughout the summer and they'll be provided with the tools to create and design their own bots. So, so much going on. We also have Houston Grant Opera and they're gonna have they're gonna have a program that's really for pre-k too, about second grade. It's called Sing, move Play. And this celebrates operas the greatest hits through action pack workshops filled with singing rhythmic movement and creative play. So, so much going on this summer, this is just, just the tip of it. And this is just featured kind of events. Every library will have their own specialized programs that they'll also be featuring throughout the summer.
Stephanie Landis (07:34):
That's amazing. I think one of the things that I really love about that is that I ask you about summer programs and we know that libraries are for having books, but it seems like you do a really great job of bringing books to life and making the library a fun welcoming place so that, as you mentioned, reluctant readers <laugh> Yeah. They feel comfortable coming in and having a positive association with books and, and libraries and reading.
Angela Martinez (08:07):
Yeah, we again, we're, we're all about fostering that love of for reading and helping to build lifelong library users. So we have people coming in just to use our space to attend our programs or to check out books. So it really helps us when we have summer reading and bringing families and reluctant readers in, it helps generate interest in the library and library services and then even in our collection, cuz we like to promote our books. And now we feel that this goes towards everything that we do. This kind of summer of reading and learning goes to help prevent the summer slide. And oh, and fun fact. Did you know that according to the American Library Association summer reading programs date back to the 1890s?
Stephanie Landis (08:51):
No <laugh>. That's
Angela Martinez (08:52):
Amazing. I found that out. I was like, that's cool. We've been doing this a long time. <Laugh>
Jill Wood (08:58):
Definitely. And one of the points that I wanted to make sure I made as the librarian at the parish school is that summer is such a great opportunity for, for parents to let kids take the lead to let them find highly motivating material and to feel okay about that and comfortable with that because I think that so many of our readers feel some sense of stress or anxiety about reading. And so the summer is this kind of lighter environment where they can explore interests that they might have without necessarily being tested or, you know, so they have more freedom. And I think that that's really important in that the library provides this kind of multi-sensory whole body programming just reinforces what we are already doing at Parrish, which is to, to make reading an experience and to integrate it into life. And I always think of it as like when I take my daughter to the public library, I'm introducing her to a sort of culture of books. So it's, she's surrounded by people who think this is important and who are prioritizing it. And I feel like that in and of itself is really powerful.
Angela Martinez (10:16):
Oh, I agree. And I love that you hit about, you hit on the point of it being the child's choice. It should be their choice in what they wanna read, but like I believe in that always. And I know sometimes we get to school, we have required reading and that's fine, but outside of that, I think it should be the child's choice, what they're gonna pick up and read. And they're fortunate when they come to the library, they have access to all these books and even if they don't see it on the shelf, we can get it to them from a different library or even a different library system. So there's ways to get books in the hands of a child. So our summer reading program is all together now all together now and is focusing, as I mentioned, on kindness, unity, and friendship.
(11:04):
So our summer reading is based on a point system, so readers can sign up and they'll sign up@hcpo.bet stack.org and I'll send this information to Stephanie so she can share it out with, with all the listeners out there. So they'll sign up, they can create a family profile on Bean Stack and they can begin logging points. So they can earn 10 points for reading 30 minutes. They can earn 10 points for reading one book and they can earn five points for submitting a, a review. And a review can be a written review of a book. It can be a picture review. So they can draw something, they can take a picture, they can send, we had, you know, readers submit videos before. Like, I really like this book because, and it's, it's adorable. They can also earn five points by participating in repeatable activities.
(12:02):
So one activity is attend a library program. So if you attend story time, you're reading three books and you're also attending a program. So that's 20 points towards your summer reading. It's so easy. So there's a lot of ways that you can mix and match and earn points for summer. And now our summer reading program at a hundred points for all ages. Cuz this program again is for everyone. We want the youngest participant up to the oldest participant in participating in summer reading. So that way the family can log together for everyone, no matter your age at a hundred points, everyone receives a book. So your prize book is your first prize and it's a book of your choice. So you stop by, you'll get to pick what book you want to be your first prize. So, so much fun to be had and prizes to be earned.
Stephanie Landis (12:56):
Yeah, that sounds really similar to what my family does at the Houston Public Library of earning little points and having books and fun things along the way. And I really like that adults can participate too. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> because I think one of the biggest driving factors is that when my kids see me reading at home, they're more likely to engage. And I feel like if I take them to the library and I'm like, oh no, only you are picking up books, like, I'm gonna go home and play on my phone. <Laugh>, you have to read like that doesn't always go over quite so well <laugh>. Even if it might be a book outta Kindle, like they still think that I'm, I'm doing something more fun. Yeah. So bringing adults into it I think is a great way to encourage the students to keep reading. Yeah. Chill.
Angela Martinez (13:45):
Yeah.
Jill Wood (13:46):
So Angela, I was wondering if to earn points if children are doing the reading or if they can be read to, if they can use audiobooks what are kind of the options for for that?
Angela Martinez (14:01):
It's all the above. So they can read on their own and log on their own. They can read together as a family. And when you read, like I always tell parents when you're reading to your child, that counts for them earning reading points and you are reading that book too. So go ahead and log for both of you audio books. I'm the audiobook listening to audio books is reading. Yes. You know, that's just a fact. I listen to audio books all the time. See nowadays just because I'm so busy, that's pretty much the only time I can read a book. Absolutely. so that counts. Any, anytime you're reading that counts,
Jill Wood (14:36):
We need to make a shirt that says audio books are reading. Yes, it
Angela Martinez (14:40):
Is really audiobook listeners are readers.
Jill Wood (14:43):
Yes. Yes. Because I think that's another thing that even I as a parent will struggle with that. You know, I, I <laugh> my, my daughter will listen to Harry Potter, but she won't read it. And there was this struggle back and forth and then at some point I'm like, why am I doing this? She will listen to Harry Potter and that is great. Right? Yeah. Like that is the book. Yeah. So just that simple permission to kind of let your kids read in the format that's best for them. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> is helpful too, I think.
Stephanie Landis (15:19):
Yeah. And it's easy to sneak in audiobooks. Like we go on in the summer, we travel a little bit more to go car trips to grandparents and here and there and popping in an audiobook is an easy way to keep my kids entertained. They love short little podcasts or audiobooks and like, they are way more highly entertained than by them just being in the backseat fighting and asking if we're there yet. <Laugh>. Yes.
Angela Martinez (15:47):
And you know, one of my favorite audio books for children to listen to was Always the How to Train Your Dragon Series. It's read by the actor David TenneT. He does it in his Scottish accent and he does it, he does all the different characters and it's so funny. It's, and the story is completely different from the movie. So it's still fresh material for, for children. While some of the characters are very similar to if they've seen the, the films.
Stephanie Landis (16:14):
Is there an easy way to, to rent audiobooks through the library?
Angela Martinez (16:19):
Yes. So I recommend using our Libby app so you can do e audiobook that way you're not switching disc in in, in the car. Yeah. I don't know if many cars still have CD disc, but at the time when I used to listen to audiobooks in as a CD format, just like switching disc and then if you're moving and trying to it, no, it syncs all together on your Libby app and you can download as many as you as you have, you can on that one.
Stephanie Landis (16:46):
Yeah. I wanna touch real quick about, because it just feels so important to me, Jill bringing up, letting kids choose their own books. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>, I like remembered that and it's a huge shift for me. Even having worked at Paris, I shouldn't heard her say it one of the first times, taking my kids to the library and they're like, oh, I really wanna read this book. And I'm like, that book looks so awful. <Laugh>
Angela Martinez (17:16):
<Laugh>,
Stephanie Landis (17:17):
That is gonna be so hug. Do I really wanna read that book? And it was just, my kids ate it up and the first time I read Dogman I was like, wait, spoiler alert, everyone Dogman comes about because a dog and a police officer get into an explosion and they cut the head off and sew them together. And I was like what <laugh> No, no, no, no, no.
Jill Wood (17:41):
That's the entire premise of that whole,
Stephanie Landis (17:43):
Yes. And so we put it back off the shelf, but my nephews loved it and they kept talking about it. So my kids kept grabbing it and finally I let them grab it and they read it and it is hilarious and they just keep going back for it. And my son at like five picture books and other things he loved to be read to, but he wouldn't like do picture walks or read through them. Like Dogman is a graphic novel. He will read to himself all the time, all the time all the time and sit there and like sit quietly and entertain himself. And I just had to give in. And then we took the books to my, to their grandparents. And my mother-in-law was like, there is so much like potty humor and other things in here. She's like, one of them is called like like something like spider butt.
(18:26):
And she's like, are you sure? And I was like, yeah man. Like he's read that like four times. Like my older daughter will sit and read it to him and then I don't have to do it. I was like, I am down for whatever is going to get them to begin reading. And I also, same thing that I think maybe it's the graphic novel form, like I just was like, I don't know about graphic novels mm-hmm. <Affirmative>, but my older daughter, she just, her stamina isn't very long. And so reading chapter books, like she'll read a few pages and she enjoys the story, but then she either puts 'em away and does something else or will like, want me to redo her. Which is fine, I like reading to her, but I'm trying to help her read for longer. But graphic novels, oh my gosh. She'll sit there and she'll read through the whole one like over and over again and she'll like read two, read two chapter books in a row. I'm like, oh, okay. Like I I'm a convert. Yes.
Jill Wood (19:18):
A largest section in our library at the parish school are graphic novels, graphic. Huge, huge supporter. And I think like, specifically, I really wanted to speak to this because our population at the parish school who struggle so much with reading I think graphic novels are even more important. Well they, I know they are be, and there's a couple of reasons that I think are worth mentioning and one of them is that it's true with graphics but also with pop cultural books that like the world building isn't as onerous. So it's like when children open the book, they have the world built and they can go deeper because of it. Because a lot of our kids will struggle with creating an image in their mind for a character or remembering all the names of characters or imagining what universe becomes this universe. And, and that is, is done for you if you're reading Star Wars, right, <laugh> mm-hmm <affirmative> or Dog man, you know, the world, the world is there and so you can go deeper, you can get into character development, you can get into perspectives of the characters.
(20:31):
And I think that's so important and something that's easy to forget, particularly if you're really tired of hearing about Star Wars as a parent. But the other piece on the comics is that text to picture. Yes. relationship. And that is so important. And so I wanted to make sure I got this in today is that I think like when you have that relationship I think it builds fluidity in reading. But it also, like what we also know is that vocabulary and comic books is higher mm-hmm. <Affirmative> than vocabulary in other books. So we know that children who are reading comics are exposed to more unique words than they are if they're reading a chapter book. And so that's kind of a reassuring fact to stick in the back of your head,
Stephanie Landis (21:24):
You said, we know, but I did not know. So thank you <laugh>.
Angela Martinez (21:28):
Yeah. Jill, you hit on all my points that I was
Jill Wood (21:30):
<Laugh>. Sorry, <laugh>.
Angela Martinez (21:31):
No, no, you did. That's great. That's fantastic. I'm glad we're on the same page here cuz graphic novels. Yes. And comics are great. And also I think for those reluctant readers, it's a fantastic transition from picture books to reading graphic novels cuz it's, again, like you said, it's helping them visualize the world. They're gonna read maybe the description in the text, they're just not getting but seeing it and reading the illustrations cuz there's, you know, you're reading the illustrations, you're falling along, you're looking at the context clues and illustrations as well as the text and putting the picture together. So yes, I'm a big advocator for, for reading comic books and comic books are are reading.
Stephanie Landis (22:13):
I love that you pointed out that graphic novels and picture books help you with context clues cuz that's something that we bring up frequently and a lot of our students are struggling with picking up context clues socially in the moment and then especially in written word because then it's even more vague. They have to understand the vocabulary and like Jill said, build the picture. But when you can point to the graphic novel and they're so good at making them expressive that like the emotion and the shock or the anger or the whatever's going, confusion is going on is so clear in the picture. And you can kind of reference back to that when talking about perspective taking and like digging in deeper because it's, if they're not getting it from the text, you could start pointing back to it more clearly for as parents reading along with your student or kids can look at them independently and start picking on it up that way.
(23:06):
And so I love using them in therapy as a way to mm-hmm. <Affirmative> to kind of point out and help build that perspective taking. Because when you get to some of these stories and as the storylines advance, they go from cute little stories to more building on like more social type conflict and interpersonal difficulties. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And that can be sometimes really difficult to pick up on. My daughter is currently loving the Babysitter Club series. Yeah. But she loves it in like the graphic novel form, which is great. And sometimes we switch back and forth because there's things that are missing from the graphic novel that are more detailed in the longer novel. But she's able to really pick up on the, the little body shifts or facial cues of the, the pictures of the girls while they're having these much more, I guess, mature social interactions that are going on there that's age appropriate to read as an upper ELE elementary student that she is. But she wouldn't be getting those same things because she has lower stamina and just isn't as drawn to reading for a longer period of time. So she's able to really dig into some something that's like socially and emotionally relevant for her age group on a reading level that's appropriate for her.
Jill Wood (24:27):
So great. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. And I think back to sort of thinking about summer reading and the goals of summer reading programs are to, to build positive associations and feelings with reading. And that's, we know Stephanie, we do know <laugh> and I both know that reading motivation is, is huge. Yes. That building that stamina is a process. And so if a child is motivated to sit down and read something and they've made the choice to read it I, I think what we're looking at is, is a positive association with that material, even if that material is maybe higher than you think it should be, or lower than you think it should be at level. It's so important to let children feel that sense of control and that sense of sort of autonomy in choosing materials and feeling like it, it was their choice. I think that's one of those important pieces.
Angela Martinez (25:28):
Yeah. Yeah. I think, I think we can all think about a book that really sparked our reading, like what book that yes we learned to read, but what book at a certain age should we read? And it just began our reading journey. I think we all have that book in our lives.
Stephanie Landis (25:44):
Yeah. And I, and I grew up, my, my older brother was not a reader. He probably because of the A D H D and it becoming difficult for him that we now know as an adult that we didn't know then. But I always loved reading and I would sneak in and read his school books like while he was, had the assigned books. And so I love that. Jill, you said that it's okay sometimes if you think they're reading material that's above their level. I didn't always get everything. I, I know that I was not emotionally ready for where the Redford grows when I read it, when he was reading it.
Jill Wood (26:21):
<Laugh>
Angela Martinez (26:22):
<Laugh>.
Stephanie Landis (26:22):
But I loved it <laugh> and it totally sparked things in me. So I I think that that's great to give permission for them to allow to grab stories that you might think might be a little over with them. Same thing with the Babysitters Club. I was worried that it might be a little mature for my daughter, but <laugh> I do like that you talked about, you know, reading at multiple levels, whether it's something you think that might be lower level for them or something you think that might be a little higher for them. I think that as a parent I get caught up on like, what is their actual reading level? Like are they an m are they an L Like I have to go find a book at this exact level. So that takes a little bit of pressure off of me.
Jill Wood (27:03):
Absolutely. And Angela, maybe you can help me with the term that's used in librarianship where children are capable of reading much above their level if they're highly motivated to do so. I think it used to be called the Harry Potter Effect, but I'm not sure <laugh> where like if children really are driven to mm-hmm. <Affirmative> to learn about something or to enter into a world or a universe, they can, they can make it work even if they don't get every word. They're still getting so much from reading that book.
Angela Martinez (27:37):
Yes. And I agree. I'm not sure if they've updated the term. I'll have to, I'll have to follow up on that. I grew up in that generation that where I was the same age as Harry when I was reading the books. I remember that. Really? That's always a book my mom put that in my hands and that kind of like, I was already a reader. Like I read Juvie Jones and another titles, but that book just really cemented the love of reading and wanting to keep reading and reading. But I, I have, I have to look and see if it's still called a Harry Potter effect. <Laugh> <laugh>. I think anytime you put the right book in the child's hand Yes. Or they find the right book themselves, it's gonna spark that.
Jill Wood (28:17):
Angela, when you were talking about that book that sort of started the Journey, it was my brother's book, Stephanie. It was that I went to go read The Great Brain. Mm-Hmm <affirmative>. Do people still read that series? Like it just came back into my head. There was a series called The Great Brain and my brother read it and it was well above my level. And so I remember like going into his room and looking at it and thinking what's so great about this book? And then when I read it I was like, oh, this is what's so great about this book. And it was like I said well above my level, but I was able to take in the important parts for me. <Laugh>
Stephanie Landis (28:54):
Seems like you guys clearly love, love books
Jill Wood (28:57):
<Laugh>,
Stephanie Landis (28:58):
When we go into our library, it is always very busy, which I'm happy about. So is one of the parts of the librarian's jobs, cause I know they're very busy in there, will they be able to stop and give recommendations? Sometimes I, and it's my own social thing, am a little worried to stop them and be like, oh, this is what they're into. So I'm like trying to Google other recommendations on my phone and then I'm like, why don't I just ask? But is that something that librarians want to be asked?
Angela Martinez (29:26):
Yes, Abby mean we love sharing, we love connecting them with a new book to find that they may love. It's, I mean, never hesitate to approach your librarian if you see 'em at the desk. I know when I was younger I was like, I don't wanna a, I was shy, it was a shy kid. Like I didn't wanna go talk to him. I didn't wanna bother him. I'll go find my own book. No <laugh>, go talk to your library. Hi, introduce yourself. And then you can learn more information about different type of programs that's going on there. So yes, we can help you find books similar to Dogman or similar to Harry Potter. I've, I've done this by accident, you know, accidentally one time at Costco's I saw <laugh> a woman looking through children's books and I was just having to look over there too to pick up a book for, for a gift for someone. And, and she was like, what is the first dog man I'm trying to find. She's just talking to herself. I'm like, oh, I know. But yeah. Yeah. So it's never hesitate to ask. And yeah, you'll finally,
Jill Wood (30:29):
There's probably someone who is who's been waiting to be asked. Yes. <laugh> in every library. They're just like, who's gonna come ask me about related dogman related books? You know, or whatever it might be. I think so many of us are really excited to share the knowledge that we have. So
Stephanie Landis (30:50):
The other thing that I have difficulty with since I do sometimes get stuck on the, like reading at my kids' level, was taking that piece of paper that at the got from my teachers, it was like, your child is reading at an n or whatever at an F. And I'm like, what does that mean? How do I translate that into finding a book? I feel a little better Cause you guys are saying no pressure, I don't have to do that. But if you still want to try and help match their level, is there an easy way to convert that or do I just throw that out the window or do both? You're both squishing at your
Angela Martinez (31:26):
Faces.
Stephanie Landis (31:26):
I threw a hard question at ya. Well, I'm glad that it's not an easy question cause you're like, duh Stephanie, you just go to this website. Of course, it's so easy to translate books into these reading levels.
Angela Martinez (31:37):
We, yeah, there's tools that you can use. Like I know a novelist is a database that we have and it's available with using your Harris County public library card and you could filter the search if you want to using the reading levels. But you
Jill Wood (31:51):
Can even do it in the Harris County padlock, right? Yes,
Angela Martinez (31:55):
I think so. Yes. You can do it as well. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative> using Filtered by Lexi also on Libby
Stephanie Landis (32:01):
Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative>.
Angela Martinez (32:01):
Okay. So we can make sure you hit the kind of write a, like, you know, the level of books and you can search that way. But for the most part, I really don't use that when I'm recommending some mm-hmm. <Affirmative>. I guess sometimes it's the parents, like, I really wanna make sure he's in this level, then we can use that. But if I'm just re like to my sisters, I wouldn't do that.
Jill Wood (32:21):
One of the things I like about the catalog search is that and this is something that I'm speaking to from as a school librarian, is that a lot of times if you put in Lexile level three 20 or something, what you discover is how much is out there. Because you know, there are reading instruction books and let's be frank, I don't know that anybody loves reading those, right. They're necessary and they're happening in the classrooms. But like when you find out that there's like a whole universe of books that's at the three 20 Lexile that includes things maybe like fancy Nancy or like all of these titles that you didn't know were at that level, the, I think that can open things up too mm-hmm. <Affirmative> and it's helpful.
Stephanie Landis (33:11):
So if I need to worry about it, I can look on the website. If not, I just let my kids pick what their heart desires. Yes,
Jill Wood (33:19):
Exactly.
Stephanie Landis (33:20):
All right. That makes me feel, takes off a lot of pressure. Makes me feel better.
Jill Wood (33:25):
<Laugh>,
Stephanie Landis (33:26):
I love that the Harris County Public Library is doing so many things of outreach and partnerships. I'm also really excited that we have a group of our outreach here on campus that is partnering up with you guys. So before I let you go, I wanna make sure that we learn more about what you guys are doing together.
Jill Wood (33:45):
Yes. Okay. We are, the parish school is partnering with Harris County Public Library and with University of Kansas and Florida State. And we are doing what we hope are a series of research projects. And the first one we are doing, which we're conducting this summer, is called Supporting Individuals with Communication Disorders in Libraries, librarian Readiness for Inclusive Practices. So we began this journey a few years ago in working with Harris County and talking to them about how to serve the needs specifically of our population at Parish mm-hmm. <Affirmative> because we saw a lot of really cool sensory story times and other things that were happening for, for all different kinds of needs, but communication specific. We wanted to help kind of put in some, some supports for that. Well, when we got there, we found that there was so much cool stuff happening and we wanted to make sure that what we provided, and it's Amy Luhrman and I, what we provided would be of great use and would be very catered to what Harris County Public needed. And so we are so fortunate to be partnering with these incredible researchers at University of Kansas and Florida State, and they are helping us conduct a series of, like a survey and some interviews to figure out where people are in being ready to start integrating resources that will reach more of, of the students at Parish and, and with communication delays and learning differences. So it's really exciting. <Laugh>, we're we're excited to be doing it and we're so grateful for Harris County to be working with us on it, Harrison.
Angela Martinez (35:50):
Yeah. And we are happy to be, to be partnering with you guys is we're looking forward to working with, with you all on, on this project. And it's really early, kind of early stages we're, we're moving forward. But <laugh> Yes.
Jill Wood (36:04):
Yeah. We've we've had it approved
Angela Martinez (36:06):
Through, we've had it approved. Yeah. <laugh>, the years are turning
Stephanie Landis (36:09):
<Laugh> the hardest part of research is that it takes so long. Bless those researchers heart. I don't have the patience <laugh>. I want things done now <laugh>.
Jill Wood (36:19):
Yes, yes. We've, we've put it through the IRB process and we are ready to go. So we're gonna start this summer and hit the ground running and we're excited.
Stephanie Landis (36:30):
That's fantastic. I really like that the library is becoming a place, well it's always been, but is making even more of a concerted effort to be a place for everyone. I think we have this image of walking into a library and it being somewhere where you have to like be quiet, keep your hands to yourselves don't talk walk tiptoe like this sacred. And when I walk into my library, like yeah, there are little pockets where it's really quiet and you can find it, but like there is this huge beautiful children's section where it's just fun and games and things going on and interactive and it's more welcoming I think, than people believe remember. And I really like that you pointed out that the library is already starting to have things like sensory focused times mm-hmm. <Affirmative> and highlighting that because that might be another barrier that's keeping some of our families from wanting to go. They might have a preschool aged kid where they're like, well if I go to sensory time, my kid's gonna run around and well, all the kids there at sensory set story time are running around. They're preschoolers. Exactly.
Jill Wood (37:40):
<Laugh>. Exactly. Yes. Yeah.
Angela Martinez (37:43):
Libraries are sort of the center of communities and we are servicing everyone in our community. So we're always looking for new program ideas and we're looking of different ways we can always provide service to our community.
Jill Wood (37:56):
Stephanie, it's such a good point that, that some of what we remember with the shushing librarian. Yes. You know, we've had to work really hard to redefine that and, and let people know that no, no, your library is a community center. Your library is a place where you can come and you can, you can be with other people and part of a culture of learning and books and,
Stephanie Landis (38:18):
And build robots, <laugh>
Jill Wood (38:20):
And build robots. Right.
Stephanie Landis (38:22):
You have music
Angela Martinez (38:23):
There.
Stephanie Landis (38:24):
Uhhuh have a comedian and a magician. Magician and all of these great things. It is not a sit down and be quiet type place.
Angela Martinez (38:34):
I mean, there's still those places as you mentioned, but Yeah.
Stephanie Landis (38:37):
<Laugh>, we don't wanna scare off the people who are overwhelmed. Yeah. But I, they
Angela Martinez (38:40):
Have study rooms for that, for the most part. <Laugh>
Stephanie Landis (38:42):
Mm-Hmm. <Affirmative>. Mm-hmm. <Affirmative>. And I think that it's also because we know that these places are so opening and welcoming that if your child does wanna move around and be active, but also might get overwhelmed, like I don't, I would still feel comfortable bringing my daughter. Sometimes she'll wear ear defenders because it will be a little loud. Or we've mapped out a place in the library, we've gone to story time and watched from the outside and we've mapped outta place and we're like, we're gonna come early and we're gonna sit right here because you could still see all the fun, but you can go up and then you can come back and Yeah. You know, get your sensory break and then go back in and we've like pre plotted how we could still join in on this fun and be a part of it. And we did not look out of place in, in any fashion. There's, there's everyone at the library. I appreciate this so much. Angela, at the end of every podcast we ask our guests if you have one piece of advice to give the listeners. It can be on reading, going to the library, or it can be, you know, like eat broccoli whatever your advice is. My favorite is always like, listen to your mom <laugh> whatever advice that you have. What would you like to give the listeners?
Angela Martinez (39:55):
That's a good question.
Stephanie Landis (39:57):
I know I like to put people on the spot,
Angela Martinez (39:59):
Like to put me on the spot. Okay. So I
Jill Wood (40:01):
Have one. Do you want mine?
Angela Martinez (40:03):
You have one Jill? Yeah,
Stephanie Landis (40:04):
Jill, sure. Jump in.
Jill Wood (40:05):
Okay. <laugh>. It's my standard. So I think my piece of advice is go ahead and use silly voices if you're reading to your children <laugh>.
Stephanie Landis (40:17):
I love that.
Jill Wood (40:18):
I was so shy about doing it when, you know, when I first had my daughter and then I realized, hey, this is my chance to be totally goofy. And it's actually helpful <laugh> because when I use a different voice for this character versus this character, it helps her differentiate and she can build that sense of perspective and how they're different characters and they have different thoughts. And I think the minute I started making silly voices, now she helps me create them. So she'll <laugh> she'll say, okay, wait, wait, wait, no, his voice is lower. I need you to go lower. And so when we're <laugh> when we're reading, a lot of times she, and she'll remember voices I've done in the past and try and help me find them again. I think it's one of those things that is, is simple, but it brings playfulness into reading. And you also can make yourself a little vulnerable with your kids <laugh> when you're reading. And I think they really appreciate that.
Stephanie Landis (41:19):
That's fantastic. And I picture Terry Garth drama teacher, she's so good at Voices and I'll read the same book that she read and the kids will be like, that's not what that character sounds like. I'm like, well I can't do it like Terry does. But you're right, they love it. And I never even thought about the idea of having, giving them different voices helps build their personality and the character and differentiate. So like there's, we're giving real reasons other than it's fun, which is its own reason.
Angela Martinez (41:50):
Yeah. Well and it keeps them engaged too. When you bring animated and I tell like when I teach our big buddies to read to little buddy, be animated, be enthusiastic about what you're reading because that's gonna draw, that's gonna make sure your little buddy is engaged, your young reader is engaged in the book that you're reading. Mm-Hmm. <affirmative>. So that helps 'em draw in. Okay. So I do have a tip, summer reading tip. Y'all can join not only Harris County Public Library summer reading, but you can join any other of this. You can double dip, you can go join also he's in public. You can join Montgomery County, Brazoria County, all the, you know, any summer reading that's going around in, in and near Houston join cuz you can still do the same reading and just count it for everything.
Stephanie Landis (42:32):
There we go.
Angela Martinez (42:33):
More More prices.
Stephanie Landis (42:34):
More prices.
Jill Wood (42:35):
I love that. And more books.
Angela Martinez (42:38):
Yes. Cause reading is is rewarding <laugh>
Jill Wood (42:40):
If you go to and if you go to other branches, they have different titles if you're
Stephanie Landis (42:44):
Browsing. Well, thank you both so much. This was such a pleasure. I learned a lot <laugh> and really enjoyed speaking with both of you. So thank you so much. And I am ready to hit the ground in the summer full of books and fun and magic and robots.
Angela Martinez (43:01):
Yeah. <laugh>,
Jill Wood (43:02):
Thank you for having us.
Angela Martinez (43:03):
We'll see you there.
Stephanie Landis (43:06):
Thank you for listening to the Un Babbled podcast. For more information on today's episode, please see our episode description. For more information on the parish school, visit parish school.org. And if you're not already, don't forget to subscribe to the Un Babbled Podcast on your app of choice. And if you like what you're hearing, be sure to leave a rating and review. A special thank you to Stig Daniels, Andy Williams, Leslie Holly and Molly Weisselberg for all their hard work behind the scenes. Thanks again for listening.