Presentations

For Parents and Educators: “Why Reading to Your Child is One of the Greatest Gifts a Parent Can Give”

What if a longtime classroom teacher were able to share with the parents of her future students the single most important thing they can do to foster their parent-child bond and their child’s future learning potential? In her 30-minute presentation, “The Invisible Toolbox: The Power of Reading to Your Child from Birth to Adolescence,” Kim explains why the simple act of reading aloud from birth has a far-reaching impact on our children, as well as the culture at large, that few of us fully understand and that our recent nearly universal saturation in technology has further clouded its importance.

Drawing on thirty years in the elementary classroom, her own parenting experience, and the latest research in neuroscience, Kim shows that the parent-child bond and the neurological growth that are nurtured through reading aloud form the structure of every child’s Invisible Toolbox, equipping them with the foundational tools and motivation necessary for success in school and beyond. Participants will not only learn what these tools are, they’ll be inspired to put the power and pleasure of reading aloud into practice with their children.

For Kids: “The Superpowers We Create When We Read for Fun”

In her 20-minute presentation, “The Invisible Toolbox: The Superpowers We Create When We Read for Fun,” Kim teaches elementary school kids that we humans can develop superpowers too—the kind of superpowers that will help us become successful in school and beyond. Students will learn that each one of us carries an Invisible Toolbox to school each day, and that if we read for fun, it will be filled with all the tools we need to become smart and powerful. Through storytelling, examples, and even a dash of neuroscience, children will learn that reading for fun grows their vocabulary, expands their worlds beyond home, makes school and homework easier for them, and more! Kids will be inspired to learn that famous and successful people they know built their own Invisible Toolboxes by reading for fun when they were young—and that it made all the difference for them.

To schedule a presentation with Kim contact her at kimjdickson@gmail.com.