Summer Reading: it's not just for students anymore!
This summer, the Joanne G. Yancey Library at Thatcher Hall challenged ELA-8 faculty members to READ. Teachers tracked their summer reading on a calendar, and those who participated were rewarded with Barnes and Noble gift cards. (The more days they read, the larger the gift card.)
Research tells us that children are more likely to read if they have respected adults in their lives who model an appreciation for reading. After seeing how many days our teachers read and some of the books and magazines that they read, several things have become clear to me:
1. Our teachers have a growth mindset. This is something that our faculty has been learning about and discussing this year. From all of the professional books, self-improvement articles, scripture, non-fiction titles, and literary novels that our faculty read this summer, it is clear to me that my colleagues are lifelong learners.
2. Reading is an important part of family life in our teachers' homes. Several faculty members told me that they read together with their children nightly.
3. Our teachers don't just have an appreciation for the value of reading; they truly
love reading. I was blown away by the amount of time some of my colleagues put into their summer reading. Some faculty members read for over an hour per sitting, and many read every single day this summer, in and amongst family obligations, travel, and summer work.
The following ELA-8 faculty members read for at least 45 days this summer, with most reading 65 days or more:
- Charlie Beaucham (7th and 8th Grade English Teacher)
- Sarah Beaucham (6th and 7th Grade English Teacher)
- Ashley Evans (3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Spanish Teacher)
- Julie Fine (5th Grade Humanities Teacher)
- Jennifer Helbing (ELA-8 Dean of Students)
- Laura Hicks (ELA-8 Teaching and Learning Center Director)
- Kevin Ivester (4th Grade Teacher)
- Rebekah Kinney (ELA-8 Instructional Technology Specialist)
- Steve McConnell (3rd Grade Teacher)
- Jennifer Moore (2nd through 8th Grade Art Teacher)
- Angela Pieroni (ELA-8 Dean of Studies)
- Tinsley Ray (2nd Grade Teacher)
- Melissa Robinson (6th, 7th and 8th Grade Spanish Teacher)
Faculty members who read at least 65 days this summer were also entered into a grand prize drawing for a Barnes and Noble Nook HD tablet. This morning at Flagpole, 7th grade student Griffin Brewster helped me to select the grand prize winner by drawing a name from a fishbowl. And the winner is...
Charlie Beaucham! Charlie is a new faculty member this year. He teaches 7th and 8th grade English at Thatcher Hall, and he also coaches Middle School football.
