Ivan visits Scott County Cooperative Extension for Reading Camp

I love getting emails for Ivan. This one asked for help with the summer reading camp in Scott County.  How could we refuse?  Ivan was thrilled to help.

This was one of the biggest reading programs Ivan had ever worked with.  Almost 20 kids in groups of two or three.  Ivan was a trooper.  He greeted each kid, handed out kisses and tail wags as needed and got down to business.  

He listened attentively, occasionally putting a paw out to show concern with a possible mispronunciation.  Ivan loves a good tail, er tale, and has a special fondness for stories about dogs and other animals.

I love to see the interaction of the kids with Ivan and the books.  The reading dogs are part of the "pleasure reading" station at camp.  The kids get to choose what they read to the dogs and, boy howdy, are they excited!  And then they get to do something we adults rarely get a chance to do: read a story aloud to an adoring audience.

Do you remember when reading was an adventure?  Learning new words, figuring out the patterns that make up language, deciphering the messages on each page?  Do you take it for granted now?  I mean, when was the last time you actually thought about reading?  Watching these kids dive into the adventure of reading brought it all back to me.  

So here is my challenge to you:  go looking for a good book, dive into it and read it out loud to someone who adores you.  It is a blast!


     


.