SF - Great Adventure - Reading Program Is Back

FYI --->

Just a note to say that all of children in my district broght home another reading log to fill out and to return to school in mid February. The prize is one free children's ticket to the park (Hurricane Harbor isn't incuded and I'm not sure about the safari). All the kiddies have to do is log in six hours of reading and have their parents or guardians sign the log. (Of course the parents have to fend for themselves.)

As the classroom teacher collecting their logs, I get one free adult pass.

Last year, the tickets expired in early August.

Thankfully, most of the teachers in my building aren't riders, so I get quite a few of thier tickets too.

Make sure the program includes reading the park rules the day before they go. Who knows what could change by then? (No, little kid, you can't go back into the park.)

From a teaching standpoint - asking 6th graders to read for 6 hours in a month period is way below New York State Education Standards, and most other states that I know of. Our district alone requires our 4th through 6th graders to read 25 chapter books MINIMUM! Not that they all do or can, but asking for 6 hours is a bit insulting. Oh well, I don't want to go on an educational rant. I just want to go on Nitro.

Actually the best part is that their parents take them. I don't have to chaperone. Even though sometimes I NEED a chaperone.

If the reward is a children's ticket, and the program is for 6th graders couldn't that lead to a problem with redeeming the tickets, since the children's tickets are for kids 54" and under and most kids in 6th grade are probably over that height limit. Or is it a special ticket for this program without a height restriction?

YoshiFan - Our school starts at Kinergarten and ends at 6th grade. I've never heard of any child being denied entry due to height. We do have a few "big kids." Then again, I'm never there when they use these tickets. It's a nice incentive though for children who are reluctant to read.

There is also a "Mathathon" program that Six Flags holds in conjunction with St. Judes Hospital. The students are asked to collect money from sponsors for each math problem they solve. The money goes to St. Judes and the students get a ticket to 6 Flags.

I'm not sure if a school can be involved with both programs.

On a personal note, I've never been comfortable having kids "sell." It sends the wrong message and you don't want to have children handling and collecting money. Sadly, They become targets. In my neighborhood, even the paperboy stopped collecting money. Bills are left by the door and are mailed in to an office. I hope the front office fowards the tips.

My cousin who lives by SFA has done the mathathon, but i'm not sure if her school does it for SFA or what. That sounds like a good program though. :)