> programs yet.  I do send home a Read-Aloud sheet that
 > parent and child
 > fill out with the names of the books they read
 > together for that month.
Can I speak as a parent here, Dan (rather than from the teacher side of me)? 
As a parent, I was asked to do this when my youngest was in 1st grade. I 
*hated* it. It was so time-consuming - sometimes it took me longer to gather 
up the books we'd read together than it did to read them. I also felt that 
nothing happened with the list anyway, making my efforts (to write them down) 
a waste of time.
The following year (in 2nd grade), I had to keep track of the numbers of 
minutes that I read aloud to my daughter/s, and then at the end of the month 
tally them up. I found that *much* easier - and I didn't have to write down 
all those titles!
My kids' school has tried Pizza Hut's "Book It!" program. While in theory a 
nice idea, I personally didn't care much for it. To redeem the prize, I 
either had to take my kid out for pizza (resulting in an expense for my 
family that perhaps we didn't budget for), or take it to the Take-Out window 
and be almost insulted by the look that the cashier gives when I order the 
"free pizza" without ordering anything else for the rest of my family.
I'd like to hear about other reading incentives for kids, besides the above 
two ideas and book reports. My kids' school has gotten "stuck" on "RAD 
READING" for the past few years for K-4. This involves keeping track of the 
books read (ugh) or the minutes (better). Then they sit thru a half-hour 
assembly and get rewarded with a pencil or some such thing. (boring....the 
assembly, not the pencil....)
Ideas, anyone????? I'd love to send some new ideas to the PTA for 
scrutiny.....
                                 -donna
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