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My eighth grader, Adam, refused to participate in his piano recital this year because he hadn’t learned his piece well enough. I can confirm that he hadn’t practiced much and was making lots of mistakes. Even so, a few days before the recital, I pleaded with him, “Can you just go up there and play it as best as you can? It’s okay if you make mistakes!”—to which he responded, as I knew he would, “No way. That’s too embarrassing.”

If there’s one book series my second grader is crazy about, it’s Dog Man. You might know a kid or two who shares this obsession. The books are graphic novels in which bathroom humor, slime fights, and a time-traveling hot dog stand feature prominently. How do I feel about my son’s literature choices? Initially, I’ll admit, I struggled.

The easiest Read Naturally stories to read are often the hardest ones to write. Many people are surprised to learn this. Isn’t it easier to write a quick level 1.0 story than it is to research and write a complex level 8.0 story?

Carol Dweck’s groundbreaking mindset research has been all the rage in education circles for a number of years now. Her research shows that students with growth mindsets—those who welcome a challenge and believe they can improve with effort—perform better than students with fixed mindsets who tend to avoid difficult tasks and who believe certain traits, like intelligence, can’t be grown.

Teachers can help nurture the growth mindset, and many have made it a priority to do so in their classrooms. But what, exactly, does this look like? Many people understand Dweck’s research to mean we should encourage and praise effort, not outcomes. But this understanding misses the mark.

We made it to June! Congrats on wrapping up another fantastic school year. We hope you get the opportunity to look back at all you accomplished this year and celebrate a job well done. One of our traditions here at Read Naturally is to look back at all the blog posts we wrote this year and see which ones were the most popular with our readers. This provides a great opportunity to highlight content you may have missed during the busy school year.

Congrats to Bradyn M., our June Star of the Month! Bradyn is a 5th grader at Brock Elliott school in Manteca, CA. He's done fantastic work using Read Naturally programs this year! Here is what his teacher, Ms. Morris, has to say about him:

For me, summer break means a break from the reading lab—but it doesn’t mean a break from teaching! I’ve been blessed with eleven grandchildren, six of whom are still in grade school and live very close to me. It’s great to work with them throughout the year on their reading and math, but I love the extra time I get to spend with them in the summer. As with many kids, it can be more difficult to motivate them over the break. Can any of you relate?

How will your students spend their last day in the reading lab this year? While this might not be their most productive day ever (we all know how the last few days of school can be!), there’s still an opportunity to make it count. A great goal for this day is to set students up for summer success. Consider the following ideas.

Boost reading skills this summer with literacy activities by Read Naturally. Explore our summer-themed printables, including word game worksheets, coloring pages, and more. Our engaging and effective reading programs help students improve fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. With our research-based approach and proven results, you can trust Read Naturally to help your students succeed.

As another year in my Read Live reading lab winds down, I've noticed an uptick in my third graders' motivation. Many of them had been "saving" certain story topics for last, patiently waiting to read the stories that interested them the most. They're thrilled that the time has finally come. The Exploding Toads story, in particular, has been worth the wait!

Make Your Student a STAR!

Read Naturally Star of the Month​Share your student’s success story—nominate him or her for our Star of the Month award. Win a Barnes & Noble gift card for the student and a Read Naturally gift certificate for your class!

pointer Submit a Star-of-the-Month entry

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