The International Preschools is in the middle of its annual Fathers and Special Friends Read-Aloud.  For this event, male relatives and friends of our students are invited into the classrooms to read to the children.  This person can be a father, brother, grandfather, cousin, uncle, or special friend.

While the program was originally founded many years ago to identify male figures as reading role models for young boys, it has evolved simply into a wonderful opportunity for cherished caregivers and loved ones to provide a literacy-based activity for our preschoolers.

The Fathers and Special Friends Read-Aloud coincides with the literacy units occurring in our Green (3s), Pre-K (4s), and Junior K (4s/5s) classrooms during the winter.  In the Green Rooms, students are focusing on an author study; this year, some of the authors chosen include Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and Mo Willems.  Fathers and Special Friends who come to read in the classroom choose a book written by the author being studied.

In the Pre-K and Junior K classrooms, students are either engaging in a book study.  One Pre-K classroom is studying books about or set in New York City; here, the fathers and special friends will read a book about New York City to the class.  Other teachers have selected a chapter book; some books include Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web, and My Father’s Dragon.  In this case, the father or special friend will read a chapter from the classroom book.

Please enjoy some photos of fathers (and special friends!) sharing a love of reading with the students of The International Preschools!

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