K.N. Smith's Blog

With permission from mom, and a big bowl of popcorn, we set out to watch the errie “Carrie”, author Stephen King’s super creepy movie about a simple and kind girl with a dark secret, and very secret powers. Little did the world know that his excellence in writing and storytelling would sell generations on the dark side of life, entertaining millions of fans with books, movies, and other creepy treats. In this post, I’m sharing an article with writing tips from the great Stephen King. How much better can life be than that? Whether a budding author or publishing pro, you can’t go wrong with one of the world’s most prolific authors giving you straight talk that could possibly thrust your career in new and exciting directions. Read on, and soak it up, from the great master himself, Stephen King.

Educational policies have been promoting family literacy programs in schools and community-based organizations for over 20 years. However, a growing body of research recommends that despite their good intentions, family literacy programs are involuntarily undermining the very families they attempt to help. From these critical perspectives, several principles to guide the development and implementation of family literacy programs have been developed. Read this research review from Margaret Caspe and learn more.

It’s a shame to think what would have happened if I had said “no” to my husband when he asked me if I wanted to see “Don’t Breathe”. At first I thought it was a straight slasher movie, and I have seen some of those, but perhaps I was not in the mood for any gore. “Suspense,” he said, and so we met at the theater to enjoy the flick. After settling in for just a short bit, I could see that the acting was quite above grade in this movie, and the storyline kept moving and kept us deeply engaged. What I did not plan on, however, was the sheer brilliance of this movie – and I’ll just say it now – and it’s 5-star qualities that, in my book, make it one of the best suspense thrillers ever made. This movie has all of the subtleties that weave a good story together (like the ladybug), and the characters are brilliantly crafted. It’s really not scary, but it is definitely suspenseful and thrilling, with all of the twists and turns that make a movie a winner. Now, what if I had said “no”? Missing out on this amazing gem of a movie would have been like not trying the best dessert in the restaurant. If you haven’t seen it already, please … RUN to the Redbox or try to find it somewhere else. This one is not to be missed!

Evidence is clear that what happens in the home with the family is critical in children’s literacy development. Various organizations support the cause of family literacy and continuously inspire and engage families in the pursuit of education and learning together. However, family literacy advocates also experience challenges along the way. I’m sharing this webinar so that we can learn how these challenges are being addressed.  You will also know more about new practices and tools being used in accomplishing family literacy. Here’s to reading to our wonderful kids for their future success!

I have shared a number of blog posts on the importance and benefits of reading to children, as well as the impact of family literacy. This is because I believe that this pursuit is among the most significant endeavors in the world. The majority of knowledge in the world can only be gained by reading. That is why if you want to enhance your child’s learning experience, they should be exposed to reading and encouraged to acquire a love for life-long learning and reading. In this post, learn seven ways on how to make read-alouds the best learning experience possible.

Much has been said about the relationship between reading comprehension and critical thinking and how reading to young children improves language and cognitive development. Recently, a study published in the Creativity Research Journal adds yet another interesting benefit of reading—it helps people embrace ambiguous ideas and avoid snap judgments. “Exposure to literature may offer a (way for people) to become more likely to open their minds,” reports the researchers from the University of Toronto scholars led by psychologist Maja Djikic. Read more about the findings of the study in this post.

Parents play a vital role in forming their child’s reading habit early on. Experts say that reading to children has such a huge impact on their academic success that parents should do it from birth. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) encourages parents to read along with their young children as it is “one of the most effective ways to expose them to enriched language and to encourage specific early literary skills needed to promote school readiness.” The multiple benefits of reading cover not only intellectual progress, but also emotional development. Thus, it is important for parents to focus on spending time reading with their children. This article from Raise Smart Kid features age-appropriate how to’s and tips on reading to your baby, toddler, or preschooler.

Reading an engaging novel can be a breeze. But writing one? It’s not as easy as it looks! It takes plenty doses of creativity, discipline, and passion to produce a nerve-wrenching, awe-inducing, and well-written story from scratch. But all of you beginning fiction writers, do not fret! Here are rules and guidelines from Writer’s Relief that can help you in writing your first masterpiece. Here’s to your future literary success!

Being an advocate of literacy programs, I encourage people from all walks of life to make reading a habit—not only as an individual but also as a family. It not only creates a stronger bond for families, it also fosters a healthy learning environment that is essential for children’s development. According to a study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education, children who are read to at home enjoy a substantial advantage over children who are not. Learn more of NCES’ remarkable findings from this article.

Reading is indeed crucial to success in school as well as in our careers, but we should not focus on its utilitarian value alone. To encourage students to embrace reading as a practice, we should let them read for pleasure. Jeffrey Wilhelm and Michael Smith of The Atlantic make a sensible point, “We want to help our students fall in love with books in ways that foster a life-long devotion to reading. We need to keep at the forefront of our attention the rich, complex, and profound pleasures of reading.” Read on and understand why schools shouldn’t forget to emphasize to students the joy of getting lost in a book.