Tiger Mother of Literature: Make reading a natural part of your day

Photo By Lt.Cmdr. Jim Remington | Atasha James is the new principal at nearby Leckie Elementary School. She recently launched a literacy program at the school called “What’s on Your Shelf?”  

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES

11.15.2013

Story by Lt.Cmdr. Jim Remington 

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling

WASHINGTON – Principal Atasha James of Leckie Elementary School in Washington’s Ward 8 has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember. Now, she’s the “tiger mother of reading” as she works to instill that same passion for literature in her students and the community.

James is principal to children of nearly 100 Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB) families, many of which have multiple children enrolled at her school. She recently launched a literacy program she titled and framed as a question, “What’s on Your Shelf?” It started with each Leckie student receiving his or her own custom bookcase and one book. Her intent is to get kids and families back into good old fashioned reading.

“Encourage that reading. I’m such a stickler for making sure that similar to eating your vegetables and exercising that you also build in reading time at home,” James said. “I’m a proponent for turning off the television. Let’s get back to some old fashioned quiet time at home.”

From James’ perspective, reading is not something to be seen as a burden and obligation, but rather an enjoyable and natural part of the day. At her home during breakfast, her children owe her 15 minutes of reading and before saying goodbye she will ask them what happened in their story.

“It’s that expectation that you’re not going to be let off the hook,” James said. “As a parent it’s so easy for me to check out into my own world sometimes, so it’s important to let them know ‘I’m watching you.’ It’s my job to inquire and ask my child, ‘What’s in your hand?”

James wants more parents to reclaim that position in their homes. In addition to enforcing that kids eat their vegetables and stay active, she wants them to enforce a love of reading at home. And for parents that say “reading is a chore for me,” James suggests getting a magazine and modeling that for their child.

“My mom and dad would come into my bedroom and I’d get in trouble because I had my flashlight on reading. I couldn’t get enough of my Nancy Drew books,” James admitted.

James’ mother shared photos of her as a child showing her with a pencil behind her ear and a book in-hand. They supported her love of reading, so she wants to make sure that children at Leckie have that experience, too.

“It’s very nice to be well-read. I want these students to have that same benefit,” James said. “We want to make sure that kids are able to communicate in what I call the queen’s language. They should be able to tell you I’m reading this book by so-and-so, and it’s about this, and I do or don’t like it because of this.”

James said she had a huge advantage as a child. She finished high school in three years and took Latin. She attributes it to the advantage she gained from reading and writing.

“It will set you up for success in ways that are unimaginable. But if we don’t have that requisite, then your choices at the end are very limited,” James said. ‘So I just ask parents to be that tiger mom or dad when it comes to reading.”

So what are student’s at Leckie reading right now? James said “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and “Dork Diaries” are popular choices. While it’s not her preferred genre, she’s just happy that they have books in their hands and that there’s literature created with which students can
identify.

One solid choice James recommends to elementary school children is Percy Jackson’s “Olympians” trilogy which details his adventures and exposes students to Greek mythology. While she may have a taste for classical literature, she wants kids in fourth grade to experience “Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett and “Island and the Blue Dolphins” by Scott O’Dell.

“They may be a little old fashioned, but a fifth grader hasn’t lived until they’ve read “A Wrinkle in Time” [by Madeleine L’Engle] in fifth grade,” James said. “For me there are some staples to which the students must have exposure in order to be complete in their reading experience.”

To add excitement and incentive to her young readers, James and Leckie’s entire faculty are pleased to be welcoming Laura Marano, an American teen actress and singer who currently stars in the Disney Channel series “Austin & Ally” as Ally Dawson.

“She’s going to be coming this month to offer an assembly to all of those kids who have at least one book read,” James said. “She will talk to kids and ask what’s on their shelf. So I hope the students have their books read.”

• Date Taken: 11.15.2013
• Date Posted: 11.15.2013 14:32
• Story ID: 116826
• Location: WASHINGTON, DC, US