Storytime is an incredibly special and important time in preschool and early childhood classrooms when educators bring stories to life for young children. It is in these magical moments that children begin to learn not only how books work and that words have meanings, but most importantly, they learn to love reading.
Storytime is when a child’s love of reading truly begins. “Reading to young children, beginning even in early infancy, has a lasting effect on language, literacy, and early reading skills. What they’re learning when you read with them has an effect four years later when they’re about to begin elementary school,” says Carolyn Cates, PhD, lead author and research assistant professor at the department of pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine. And it is through interactive read-alouds that children build oral language skills, enrich vocabulary, and expand their understanding of the world (Cunningham and Zibulsky 2014). When we read to children they develop a desire to learn how to read on their own, and research from Dr. Henry Bernstein at Harvard Medical School has shown that children exposed to high volumes of books during their early childhood will have an easier time learning to read than those who are not.
We witnessed just how important this is to educators across the nation in a recent sweepstakes we ran where we asked people to post a picture of their cozy reading corners on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #MyCozyCorner. Hundreds of educators from around the country were excited to share how they decorate their reading corners to invite children in and foster a lifelong love of reading for the chance to win the NEW Cozy Corner Program—a beloved Scholastic resource used during classroom read-aloud time.
We would like to thank everyone who participated and congratulate our winner, Mr. Denson, a PreK Teacher in Memphis Tennessee!
Below we rounded up some of the fantastic entries we received.
Where we read, share, and grow! #Sweepstakes #MyCozyCorner pic.twitter.com/IlrFL5XUhl
— Mr. Denson (@PreKDenson) September 4, 2018
Here’s #MyCozyCorner #sweepstakes @Scholastic @ScholasticTeach pic.twitter.com/xigmgr5dVk
— A Teacher's Tale (@A_Teachers_Tale) September 2, 2018
The Journey Trilogy Reading Lounge (based on the Aaron Becker series)! One of eight reading lounges created on campus to give kids a space to pick up a book and read!#Sweepstakes #MyCozyCorner pic.twitter.com/RiJ9XhvohC
— BarrettRanchSchool (@BarrettRanch_) September 5, 2018
My pre-k cozy reading corner! It would benefit some special kids if we were picked as a winner!! #Sweepstakes#MyCozyCorner pic.twitter.com/P0d55hWpCr
— Jennifer Wilson (@Jen9156) September 1, 2018
Cozy corner in Cumberland, Virginia! #Sweepstakes #MyCozyCorner #ccesdukes pic.twitter.com/aG4s4JdxMg
— Kathy McCutcheon (@KathyMcCutcheo3) August 31, 2018
.@Scholastic here’s my cozy corner! #sweepstakes #MyCozyCorner pic.twitter.com/PWDpgows9B
— Kelly Pawelko (@MissPawelko) August 29, 2018
Favorite spots in my classroom #MyCozyCorner @Scholastic #sweepstakes pic.twitter.com/nmMKguCgJt
— Alyssa Bergman (@Miss_Bergman) September 2, 2018
Enjoying a good book in the reading center! #MyCozyCorner #Sweepstakes pic.twitter.com/vuvPzqejHB
— Leslie Garrison (@GarrisonITeach) September 7, 2018
Holy Trinity Reading Corner at Holy Trinity School in Morrisville, PA! #sweepstakes #mycozycorner #scholastic #HolyTrinityPA @Scholastic pic.twitter.com/oLOdKw8qzI
— Holy Trinity School (@HolyTrinityPA) September 6, 2018
Moye Mtn. Lions best reading spots!#Sweepstakes #MyCozyCorner pic.twitter.com/kmyTptWoub
— Juli Porflit (@MoyeBookFairy) August 31, 2018
#MyCozyCorner #sweepstakes Yes, that is a bathtub! The kids love it! Students are able to get pillows for sitting on the floor and they use my lovies too. pic.twitter.com/Jj6bKxwHHA
— Mrs. Baucom ~ Wild Wolves (@beth_baucom) August 30, 2018
View this post on InstagramThis happens to be my reading cozy corner in my classroom! #sweepstakes #mycozycorner
