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HARRISBURG, PA (March 21, 2023) – March is National Reading Month, and to celebrate PSEA leaders are putting a special focus on motivating students of all ages to read every day.
PSEA Vice President Aaron Chapin and Treasurer Jeff Ney took time earlier this month to visit several public schools in Pennsylvania and read a variety of books to children.
“When we take time to read to children, they learn to make reading a part of their daily lives,” Chapin said. “Every day, educators across Pennsylvania use books to introduce children to new worlds and new ways of thinking.”
PSEA Vice President Aaron Chapin reads to first graders in Stephanie Saint Germain’s Paxinosa Elementary School classroom in the Easton Area School District, Northampton County.
PSEA Treasurer Jeff Ney shares storytime with Megan Hiles’ first grade students at Sandycreek Elementary School in the Franklin Area School District, Venango County.
Studies have shown that reading reduces stress, and that reading just 20 minutes a day adds up to reading 1.8 million words per year. It’s also the fastest way for children to grow their vocabulary. Children learn an estimated 4,000 to 12,000 words every year from reading.
Ney said educators strive to connect students with books featuring characters of all races, genders, and backgrounds, with diverse cultural and life experiences.
“When we read to students, we want them to know that they are valued and welcomed,” Ney said. “We want them to be able to see themselves in the books they read and to learn about the experiences of others. Readers who feel included, recognized, and a part of the world are engaged readers.”
Throughout the year, the National Education Association (NEA) shares book recommendations and other resources to get students reading. This year has brought a strong focus on books, authors, and teaching resources that promote diversity and inclusion. You can learn more at www.ReadAcrossAmerica.org.
An affiliate of the NEA, PSEA represents about 177,000 active and retired educators and school employees, student teachers, higher education staff, and health care workers in Pennsylvania.
