If there were ever a Kickstarter project that we can all get behind, it’s this new initiative by LeVar Burton to build his wonderful Reading Rainbow show into a learning platform that will be provided for FREE to anyone who wants it – especially school districts and homeschoolers:
Lifelong educational advocate, LeVar Burton is asking the public to join a Kickstarter Campaign to help make the new Reading Rainbow digital library universally accessible to children in classrooms, homes and beyond. Launched just two years ago exclusively on tablets, Reading Rainbow has inspired children to read, with over 12 million books read and video filed trips watched thus far.
Burton’s startup educational technology company, RRKIDZ, worldwide holder of rights to Reading Rainbow already gives young readers access to hundreds of children’s fiction and non-fiction books and newly produced educational video field trips. Says Burton, “We’ve done as much as we can alone. We need help to bring Reading Rainbow to every child.” When the Reading Rainbow Kickstarter campaign reaches its goal of $1M, the funds raised will:
1. Create a classroom-specific experience, tailored to meet the unique needs of teachers and homeschoolers, that includes: a teacher dashboard, educator designed supplemental materials aligned with Common Core standards and significantly expanded selections of the highest quality leveled children’s books.
2. Bring Reading Rainbow, at no cost, to classrooms that need it the most with the intention to establish a not-for-profit program to subsidize the digital reading service.
3. Develop a universally accessible, browser based digital library on the web, expanding access to every child, everywhere in homes and schools across the world.
LeVar Burton is already in my trinity of great kids’ TV personalities (Fred Rogers and Bill Nye are the other two). If he pulls this off and makes it a program that’s really available to kids everywhere, he will be the unquestionable greatest of the three.
I see no way that this Kickstarter can fail (considering the people who must be supporting it), but I’m proud to make my pledge and be part of the effort. Involvement is good.
Without exaggeration, this is the most exciting Kickstarter I’ve seen in a long time.
No, I’m not a paid shill.
I love the celebrity cameo at the end…!
I spent the $20 and signed my oldest son up a couple years ago. He loves the app. He can check books in and out like a library and has read and read and read… best money spent. I’ll be backing this project for sure. Best of luck, Mr. Burton… an amazing KS project!
Hi LeVar,
I was so excited to hear Reading Rainbow was coming back. I watched every show when I was a child and it captured my imagination. It also encouraged me to read new and different books. To this day, I devour books. I have a 6 year old daughter whose love of books is even greater than my mine. She reads and reads and reads. Imagine my delight to hear Reading Rainbow was coming back.
BUT…she will NOT be watching or participating. Sadly, you have aligned with Common Core. To say I am disappointed, is like putting a band-aid on a broken pipe. Have you read the ELA reading standards? They read parts, sections of books. It is called “close reads”. Students spend weeks/months on one book….weeks reading and re-reading one section over and over. Most books are not completed in their entirely. Also, under Common Core, classic literature is reduced to 50/50 in elementary school and 70 {non fiction}/30% {fiction} by high school. Non fiction includes PARTS of speeches, EPA manuals, travel brochures, menus, political documents. Classic literature is where children learn complex language, grammar, and to think for themselves and imagine life in different times. All of that is lost under Common Core.
I am pulling my daughter from public school, she is in kindergarten. Under Common Core, there are no standards for gifted children, developmentally challenged children or ESL students. Common Core forces every into the same box and to learn at the same speed. My 6 year old is reading at 5th/6th grade level. Her teacher, because of Common Core, could not let her read any book outside of what is allowed in kindergarten. Why? Because there is no standard for gifted children. She told me “I do not know what will happen to her in 1st grade. She is above it and we cannot give her more.” I cannot allow this and realize I as the parent can take back control. I will…I will allow her to learn at her pace and with her needs foremost in place.
I hope you take the time to truly learn what Common Core is – not want the creators, the organizations who support it {and have received millions to do so} – and research it yourself. You have the opportunity to create a love of reading for millions of children. These same millions of children who love to learn and to read is being destroyed daily, thanks to Common Core.
Please go to http://www.stopccssinnys.com for more information. Watch the 5 part video series on Common Core. It will be eye opening.
Please please please…unaligned from Common Core and protect children from a system that is destroying them at rapid speed.
Respectfully,
Tina