'Reading Rainbow' Turns Its Last Page

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jerickmike of LA 2:26PM March 08, 2010

This program will be greatly missed. I have so many fond and vivid memories of the various episodes. The show was a gem that shined brighter than most children television shows.
I find it a disgrace the path that literacy education is taking. NCLB does seem to be prohibitting children from gaining any enjoyment in education, including reading, math, the arts, and many other critical subjects. I am currently earningh a degree of middle childhood education with a focus in math and science. Being required to take many courses of reading and phonic assessment, I find that we are straying from the main focus of our children's education.
I hope that the kid's will still see the butter fly in the sky, and still strive to go twice as high.

Victoria Timperio of OH 10:05AM February 20, 2010

This was a show that I truly enjoyed watching with my kids (who are now 19, 20 & 22) when they were young. I am saddened to hear that it will no longer be produced. Life isn't just about the mechanics of something. Sometimes the 'why' is as important as the 'how' and sometimes the 'why' is what motivates us to go through the motions of learning the 'how'.

klgore63 of MO 2:26PM January 28, 2010

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BadGirl68 of WY 5:57AM October 23, 2009

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Settor20 of MD 6:35AM October 22, 2009

As a second grade teacher, I have enriched my curriculum for 20 some years by showing Reading Rainbow. Please do not cancel this valuable show. It truly is an educational resource that can and will cross generations.

Linda Crawford of OH 10:08AM September 28, 2009

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tiwesdaegg of DC 9:19PM September 18, 2009

I watched this show as a child and loved it! It got me wanting to read books and have an adventure. Of course it is important, as well, to focus on teaching kids to read. Having children of my own in school and seeing them learn to read is great, but to them it is more of a chore than an enjoyment. It is their homework. Shows like Reading Rainbow teach kids that there is enjoyment in reading! There is an adventure! Isn't that why we read anyway, to have an adventure? I'm sad that they are taking this show away.

Kelly Holman of UT 11:54AM September 12, 2009

The demise of Reading Rainbow is a tragedy. Taken in perspective, even in an imperfect world there are always outlets that can teach children to read. Public school does still exist... At least that part is a quasi-given. But without teaching them why to read, we are just doomed. If schools and resources stink, it's even more crucial to provide something that would inspire that extra effort needed to find the people and places that can indeed help them learn for real.
What is happening to PBS? The "why" part was always what they were supposed to be about. Their mentality seems to have drifted far from its original philosophy. It's so short-sighted. For all the kids who sit at home in front of a TV, without exposure to or encouragement for extra-curricular activity, this kind of programming is an opportunity to change everything. Why would anyone value or even bother with something that might be hard for them if they don't even know why it's important?

MJ Shinozuka of NJ 10:46AM September 12, 2009

I am so sad to see this program go. So there's no place for the "WHY" of reading on educational TV? This is a shame. Whenever we'd use these in school, there was a mad scramble by students to read the books for themselves. What a gift to give a child! And in a school, we used the programs to infuse the curriculum with literature. I would hope that some entity would pick this program up & reinvent, it because it IS needed. Kids do need that extra "push" to read & Levar was there for us!

Jane Rink of KS 1:32PM September 11, 2009