summer_18

READING

12 CEA ADVISOR SUMMER 2018

TEACHERS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENCOURAGE READING

ENFIELD TEACHERS DONATE 1,000+ BOOKS TO LOCAL CHILDREN Autobiographies to zoo animals, something for every age and interest E very teacher knows the woes of summer reading loss. To give books a much-needed

WATERTOWN TEACHERS GO HOG-WILD FOR SUMMER READING Promise to pucker up to a pig if students hit the books

boost, Enfield’s teachers have been personally filling the libraries of little ones all over town. Emily Hulevitch, community relations chairperson for the Enfield Teachers’ Association (ETA), created the book drive and was overwhelmed by the response. As part of its community outreach efforts, the Enfield Teachers’ Association put out a request to collect books for young readers, and within a week, the town’s teachers had personally donated more than 1,000 gently used children’s books from their personal collections. “It’s important that the community see our union doing positive things,” said teacher Michele Wilcox, the chief organizer for ETA who helped collect and distribute books. “There are a lot of kids here who perhaps don’t have big libraries at home, if any. This can help them add to the number of books at home.” Special donation bins were left in each school, and teachers pored over their home and classroom collections for books they could pass on to others. Hulevitch and Wilcox then sorted over 1,000 books by grade level and genre, labeled large Ziploc bags by age range, and packed each bag with a trio of books and treats such as pencils, erasers, and bookmarks. The books were then handed out to children at the town’s Family Fun Festival. Teachers sought to match books with the young readers’ likes and interests, and selections included novels, picture books, and nonfiction. Current and former students of all ages who stopped by the table were also encouraged to write colorful notes to teachers telling them about the influence they had on their lives. “If it weren’t for the influence one of my own teachers had on my life, I might not be in this career,” said

Watertown teachers go all out to put reading on their students’ summer agendas.

T eachers at John Trumbull If students deliver on their promise to read this summer, their teachers will pucker up to a pig. The school’s end-of-year reading assembly has grown into a major event where teachers premiere a new music video to kick off the students’ summer reading challenge. They also pledge to do something out of the ordinary to reward students for reading throughout the summer and recording their books in a log. Two years ago, it was taping gym teacher Scott McQueeney to the wall. Last year, teachers dyed their hair every color of the rainbow. This year, teachers have promised that they will plant a kiss on Daisy the pig, who has visited the school previously. Daisy is part of the “Pig Out on Reading” traveling reading program featuring Paul “Farmer” Minor, of Bristol. Minor brings the pig to libraries and schools around the country to promote reading. This will be the third year that Trumbull Primary School, which serves children in preschool through second grade, has organized a summer reading challenge. Their goal is to stave off the summer reading loss that can result in achievement gaps and catchup work every fall. The first year of the campaign, the number of books students read during the summer tripled. Last summer, the kids’ lists added up to 8,261 books, surpassing the previous Primary School in Watertown hope to go hog-wild this fall.

year’s total by nearly 1,000. In the first campaign, the school created a music video called “Watch Me Read,” a parody of the 2015 hip hop song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” by Silento. Last year, the parody was “Can’t Stop the Reading,” using the music of the 2016 hit song “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” by Justin Timberlake. This year, the video features a rap set to the tune of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” In the video, teachers are seen reading books all over the school and town, including pig- centered children’s classics such as the Mercy Watson series, Charlotte’s Web , folktales like “The Three Little Pigs,” and nonfiction books about boars. The video also shows teachers at home: McQueeney reading to his newborn baby and kindergarten teacher Donna Cincogrono flipping through a picture book with her dog. In addition to premiering at the spring reading assembly, the video has been shared on social media by the school community in hopes that it will go viral and encourage more children to pick up a book. Last year’s video aired on WFSB-TV when television personality Scot Haney shared it on Channel 3’s morning news. When the new school year begins, students will be ready with reading logs in hand, waiting for their classroom teachers to smooch a swine.

Hulevitch, who was honored at the 2018 CEA Representative Assembly with the CEA Salutes award. “The impact a teacher had on me is why I’m doing what I do today.” The Enfield Teachers’ Association has made outreach an integral part of its mission. Among its many community service efforts, the group donated $200 to Loaves and Fishes to combat hunger, supplied toppings for hot chocolate for a town snowman-building event, helped fund a bench for local veterans, and gave coffee and treats at a senior citizen movie night. “It’s fantastic,” said ETA President Tod Couture. “They have helped everyone from kids to veterans and seniors.” The ETA also donated a library of books and $200 to The Children’s Reading Room at Asnuntuck Community College in Enfield. The Children’s Reading Room is a free, educational childcare service to registered students, staff, and faculty at the college, where parents volunteer in exchange for the services while they learn and work. Michele Wilcox, Tod Couture, and Emily Hulevitch staff ETA’s Family Day table.

Click here to watch this year’s video of Watertown teachers rapping about reading.

Enfield teacher Michele Wilcox chats with a family browsing book selections.