Reading program brings role models into classroom
Perci Garner lll not only read to the children, but also had to answer all kinds of questions, from things about his time as a Cleveland Indians baseball player to questions about his muscles. He answered them all.
Reading is an essential part of every school day, and teacher Ronna Coventry wanted her preschool and pre-K students at Immaculate Conception to be excited about books. She also wanted to teach them the importance of community, so she decided to combine both ideas.
Coventry reached out to individuals in the community she felt were positive role models. Emails and phone calls were sent.
Visitors included lawyers, radio personalities, current and former teachers and principals, a member of the sheriff’s office, representatives from Alban Title and the county engineer’s office, and men from Sacred Heart Church and the Knights of Columbus.
Others included former students, current students’ family members, and special characters like the Cat in the Hat and Thing 1.
A crowd favorite was Grandma Rose.
Coventry asked the children if there was anyone they would like her to invite. Most of their suggestions were sports figures, so the class decided to send emails to several professional teams. The Cleveland Cavaliers responded, explaining their players were unavailable, but they would send a package. The team mailed pencils, stickers and a letter.
Each time a guest reader arrived, one student was responsible for greeting them at the school office, escorting them to the classroom, showing them where to sit and presenting the book. This gave students a sense of responsibility and helped develop their social skills. After the reading, the child would give the reader a small gift such as a pencil, notepad or bookmark. Each visit concluded with pictures of the guest reader with the entire class.
The program received so much support that community members began reaching out, asking if they also could come and read. Coventry noted the many benefits of having different voices read to children, from building listening skills to exposing them to various styles of storytelling.