Home Team (13 page)

The single most important aspect of a literacy culture is that reading and writing are the topic of conversation in the school. Data on student literacy performance, information about reading programs and useful writing strategies are shared in staff or team meetings. Staff development focuses on literacy instruction across the content areas and teachers share strategies with one another and ask for assistance in teaching important skills. Parents are informed about how to promote literacy at home, and local libraries are involved with the school in promoting membership and providing access to books.

Home Team
represents Eric Walters' call to give our boys voice and choice in promoting literacy. Reading choices made for boys frequently do not reflect their preferences, since girls are clearer and more vocal about what books they want, elementary school teachers are predominantly women, and mothers rather than fathers select reading materials for their children. Obviously, then, involving boys in the selection process will increase their attentiveness. Further, boys, like all children, want to see characters like themselves sometimes. Therefore, materials should feature people of different ethnicities, races and backgrounds who live in a variety of types of homes and communities.

Read this book and join the crusade in supporting all students to embrace literacy for life.

Chris Spence
Director of Education
Toronto District School Board

Certainly one of Canada's bestselling authors of books for young readers,
Eric Walters
confirms his support for literacy initiatives with this third title written with former Toronto Raptors star Jerome “Junk Yard Dog” Williams and his brother Johnnie Williams III.
Home Team
served as the focal point of a unique collaboration between the authors, the publisher and the successful Read to Succeed program of the Toronto District School Board.

Hundreds and hundreds of students were given the opportunity to read and offer their ideas and editorial suggestions on the story in draft form while interacting with the authors throughout the process. This interaction led to numerous changes that made it a better book and a true team effort!