Did you know that Countrywood has its very own YouTuber?? It's Mrs. Bertolino! If you haven't had a chance to visit her YouTube channel yet, it is a MUST see! Her enthusiasm and genuine love for children and reading is contagious! We had a chance to catch up with her and find out more about the motivation behind this very special undertaking.
Link to: Andrea Bertolino's YouTube Channel
What prompted me to start my own YouTube channel?
As a kindergarten teacher, I am acutely aware that all children need to be read to! Reading to them exposes children to new ideas, while developing their imaginations and improving their comprehension and listening skills. As someone who has always been a working parent (my three children are all grown now), I really understand how hard it can be. Time becomes our most precious and most scarce commodity, so I want to help families ensure that their child is read to each night, even when they can’t do it personally. I realize there are sites where children can read books. And those are great. But there is something different and special about being read to and I want to share the wonder and joy of experiencing a book through the enthusiasm of the reader. By reading to them I am also sharing my love of literature and my desire to help them make personal connections to the emotions and adventures created by the words on the page.
How do I select which books to read?
The books have all been vetted by my own students. That means they have been read to them many times and always elicit a strong positive response. Quite often, the whole class will spontaneously applaud at the conclusion of a book, reminding me that this story truly had an impact. As they are the audience, and they are familiar with the channel, I frequently allow my students to choose the book they want me to present next. Of course, there is always more than one favorite, so we vote and the majority wins. The minorities know there will soon be another vote and they can suggest their own favorites again. In the event of a tie, as was the case with The Gingerbread Man and The Gingerbread Baby, I simply read them both.
I love giving each character their own personality by changing my voice and I like to choose stories that are seasonal and add meaning to what is happening at the moment in the lives of my students. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush is a good example. The main character, Little Gopher, had a gift. By the end of the story, he had learned to value and share it and when I closed the book I reminded the children that each of them also has a special gift and as they grow they can share their own gifts with the world.
What do I hope my students receive?
Love of reading, of course! Technology is a tremendous part of their lives and I love the idea of using it to offer them the more personal experience of being read. My hope is that there will be many times when they will choose to listen to a story rather than watch a cartoon or play a video game. I also hope that, as they learn to love to be read to and their own ability to read increases, they will want to share that feeling with their younger siblings and will someday read to them.
What do I hope my students’ parents receive?
Peace of mind. My channel offers an alternative to reading to their child when they have to work late or attend to other essentials in the evening. Many child psychologists encourage a regular wind-down activity as part of a consistent going-to-bed routine and story time is always at the top of the list of suggestions. However, it’s sometimes hard to make it actually happen, so this allows both the parent and the child to get what they need even during the most hectic of times. It’s available on any tablet or phone, and all my students know how to access these things themselves.
Because it’s so portable, it can be used at other times as well. Produce a few minutes of quiet engagement during a long car ride, offer a silent distraction while waiting for food to arrive at a restaurant, or create an island of calm in a frenzied supermarket.
What advice do I offer parents about reading with their children on a regular basis?
Do it! Do it as often as you can. Not only is it a great way to boost their learning potential, encourage their love of reading, and increase their comprehension, it’s also a wonderful way to grab a few quiet moments together away from the stresses of the day. These years go so quickly, so I hope to encourage parents to take as many opportunities as they can to cherish and spend one-on-one time with their children, and reading is a perfect, pressure-free, way to do that.
