Lower School News

List of 2 news stories.

  • Just Read

    Brian Peters, Head of Lower School
    To improve as a runner you need to run.  To improve as a pianist you need to play the piano.  To improve at baseball you need to play baseball.  To improve as a reader you need to read.

    There is no doubt that the volume of reading done by a child contributes to developing vocabulary, increasing background knowledge on a variety of topics and building stronger comprehension.

    “Reading volume is critical because it provides opportunities for vocabulary growth, knowledge acquisition, and the development of fluid word recognition” - Anne E. Cunningham & Keith Stanovich, 1998.

    This research is solid, but what is also solid is the fact that overall reading volume by students across the country is decreasing.  The reading occurring today is more likely to be of shorter pieces.  The reading of full books has declined.  Students are reading less by choice and reading less volume.

    “Many students no longer arrive at college - even highly selective elite colleges - prepared to read books” - R. Horowitz, 2024.

    Frequently reading and reading by volume provide the opportunities for students to build what makes future reading easier.  Without this, students do not have the repeated exposure to ideas, language, and vocabulary that will help develop their abilities that make reading feel natural and not exhausting.

    By choosing to read by choice, by reading frequently, and having a high volume of reading students develop:

    Fluency - accuracy, automaticity, and prosody which all together support comprehension by freeing the cognitive processes to making meaning

    Stamina - reading becomes easier and is done for pleasure and not as a chore

    Prior Knowledge and Vocabulary - comprehension depends on this and it is accumulated through reading extended texts or books

    In conclusion, just read!

  • Batting Practice

    Brian Peters, Head of Lower School
    Last Spring I helped out at my grandson’s baseball team practice.  Basically, it was a batting practice and I was a designated pitcher for the duration.  The kids were all about 8 years old or so.  Some could hit nearly every pitch and some hit with authority.  Some could hit most of the pitches.  A few struggled to make any contact.  Some had a batting stance and a swing like a future baseball player.  Some…well, did not.

    What I observed was that each young player was proud of what they did at the level they were at.  A few were disappointed if they hit a weak pop-up, but beamed when they struck the ball solidly with that familiar “ping.”  Most were excited when stringing together good contact over several pitches in a row.  A few felt accomplished when the bat hit any part of the ball.  A few times I was focusing on where the child swung and I tried to throw the ball to their swing.

    Isn’t this scenario about all of us in this life?  Depending on what we are doing, some are trying to consistently drive the ball back up the middle with authority.  Others are just trying to make any kind of contact at all.

    It takes time.  It takes patience.  Very few are accomplished at something on the first try.  Not even the second, third, fourth, etc.  Malcolm Gladwell discussed the theory of 10,000 hours to master something.  That’s a lot of swings.

    I applauded each batter for what was accomplished.  I wanted each of them to leave the practice feeling some kind of success.  I gave a few pointers here and there that hopefully can help.  Don’t we all need that coach and cheerleader in our life?  Don’t we all need someone who will throw the ball in the path of our bat once in a while?  I think that’s true and each of us can do it for someone we care about.

    So, get out there today.  Throw some productive batting practice to someone.
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Trinity School of Midland

3500 West Wadley Avenue, Midland Texas 79707 - Email: info@trinitymidland.org - Phone: (432) 697-3281 - Fax: (432) 697-7403 -
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© 2019 Trinity School. All Rights Reserved.