Staggering Stats & A Winner!

First things first - it's time to announce the winner of the new Bucket book.  Every comment this week was an entry in the giveaway; the Gruener Generator randomly selected . . . drum roll please . . . 


Jo, a counselor at Prairie Elementary, a Wisconsin State School of Character (SSOC) in Waunakee, is an expert bucket filler.  She actually is the one who encouraged me to continue writing my blog last June.  She has a copy of Carol McCloud's new book coming her way. 

What do you know about children of poverty? In his treasure The Read-Aloud Handbook, author Jim Trelease shares some staggering statistics:  
By the age of four:
*Children in a household with professional parents have heard 45 million words.
*Children in a working-class household have heard 26 million words.
*And children who are living at or below the poverty level? 13 million words. Such a significant difference. 

Do you have a favorite vocabulary-building strategy? As we launch into Teacher Appreciation Week, see what select Exxon-Mobil employees have to say about the teachers that made a difference in their lives. I have a soft spot for teachers who differentiate to accommodate for children with varied styles of learning from all walks of life.