Neighbors Senior of the Week

Take a break from all that homework

Gala celebrates family with entertainment

Jennifer Partridge, Neighbours

Published: Thursday, September 06, 2007

After 30 years of teaching, raising three daughters and managing a busy social life, it makes sense that Vera Goodman might want to relax.

That she might want to enjoy leisurely afternoons on the golf course or try her hand at bridge, bocce ball or birdwatching.

But no.

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Vera Goodman is a local literacy consultant who has just come out with a new book, Simply Too Much Homework. "Children only have one lifetime . . . and shouldn't have to spend the whole day, evening and holidays doing schoolwork," she says.

Lorraine Hjalte, Calgary Herald

Goodman, 72, is actually gearing up to celebrate the launch of her third book, Simply Too Much Homework! What Can We Do?

"I'm very passionate about this book," she says. "Children only have one lifetime -- and so do we -- and (kids) shouldn't have to spend the whole day, evening and holidays doing schoolwork . . . Homework is a big, contentious issue. Kids don't want to do it, the y shouldn't have to, and the y fight against it."

Goodman's Spirit of Childhood family gala takes place this weekend, Sunday, Sept. 9 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Red & White Club, 1833 Crowchild Tr. N.W.

Showcasing a plethora of entertainment, including clowns, magicians, singers and dancers, Goodman is extending an open invitation to an afternoon of family fun and frolicking. Admission is free.

"It's open to everyone but I'm really encouraging families to come," Goodman says during an afternoon chat in the comfort of her Lakeview home. "I've got a lot of activities for children to enjoy. It's going to be just fabulous."

Not one to rest on her laurels -- or the fact that her most recent work has just hit store shelves, Goodman is already hard at work on her next book.

"I think I was born teaching something to someone," says the author of Simply Write! Practical Advice for Personal and Family Writing and Simply Read! Helping O the rs Learn to Read.

"I'm an inveterate teacher. I love it and I've always looked to see how I could find new ways to do things."

Goodman, a bestselling author, teacher and speaker who is renowned internationally for her commonsense approach to teaching and learning, has, quite simply, chosen to apply those the ories to reading, writing and literacy.

"I am very sad in my heart when I think of even one child who can't read," says the founder of the Calgary Young Writers' Conference, which hosted its 24th annual convention earlier this year.

"Can you imagine not being able to read in our literate society? I have a deep compassion for anybody, child or adult, who can't read. And I know that I can help the m to turn that around, to be able to read fairly quickly. That's what propels me to pursue this, when all my teacher friends are out playing golf, going to the States and having a good time.

"I feel I've been given a gift to give to families of children who aren't reading well because it isn't just the child who suffers by not reading well. It's the whole family."

Simply Read! Helping O the rs Learn to Read, which Goodman wrote in 1995 following her retirement from teaching, forms the basis for the indepth consultations she conducts for parents.

"I teach the m what to do, how to coach the ir own child to read and the n I model that for the m," she says.

"I turn kids -- and adults at any age -- around very quickly in the ir reading."

Helping children, teens and adults learn to read is so important to this longtime literacy consultant and advocate that she has plans to create a reading-coaching kit for parents to use with the ir own children.

"That's my work for this fall," Goodman says with a smile. "I'm helping parents take that kit, practise with the ir child and make the m successful readers."

For more information on this weekend's Spirit of Childhood family gala, visit www.readingwings.com, e-mail vera@readingwings.com or call 240-0402.

jpartridge@ the herald.canwest.com

© The Calgary Herald 2007