BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – READING is a critical component of the early stages of a child’s development, and the Sandy Point Primary School is pushing this concept during its Literacy Week celebration.
Teachers at the learning institution are imploring parents of students at the school and others to have their children turn off the televisions and do more reading.
Dureen Burt Queeley, a teacher at the institution and organizer of the week of activities, suggested that children need to do more reading to enhance their skills.
She told SKNVibes that although majority of the students within he institution are reading well, there are still a few who need to be looked at.
Celebrating under the theme “Swing into literacy: Lights, Camera, READ”, Queeley expressed the belief that children are generally not doing enough reading during their downtime.
“As you would know reading would motivate you and take you higher. And we are encouraging all of them to do more reading. So, we want them to read more; that is the purpose of the week.”
Though the event may be one for the school, efforts are being made to get parents involved with the activities, so that the no tv week policy can be applied at home.
According to Queeley, a meeting with parents so that they can get onboard with the educational venture.
She noted that when children get into the habit of reading “they would develop a love for it” while motivating themselves to do it on a consistent basis.
“We want them to understand that there are different types of books and they can find their avenue; whether it’s fairytale, where it’s adventure or whether it’s action. Also to expand their vocabulary and improve their context of reading,” Queeley said.
Activities continue tomorrow (Jan. 17) with their Socks Day, where children drop everything and read while being dressed in varying colours.
On Wednesday, the institution would host a ‘Career Day’ as students would be decked in uniforms of their respective career choice. Prominent persons and businesses would set up booths at the institutions to assist in encouraging the students in selecting a career path.
On Thursday, the school would be hosting a “T-Shirt Day” for all students, where positive words would be written across the garments.
Queeley is optimistic that they would make the week of activities an annual feature on the school’s calendar of events.
