Throughout the state, the teachers of Mississippi work tirelessly to not only teach our children, but to make that learning fun. Just browse any school’s social media page or ask local kids or parents, and you will find out that our students are engaged, encouraged, and motivated to learn – and have fun while they’re doing it.
From preschool to high school, the learning never stops in Mississippi; our national testing scores are proof of that fact. Subsequently, every teacher in the Magnolia State is also on a continual learning journey, and my favorite part of that journey is the view from the sideline as I see and hear what those teachers are teaching our students daily.
When I talk with these educators, I am amazed at all the places they go to gather resources for their students, including other teachers in their buildings and districts, online teacher forums with educators from around the world, educational websites, as well as professional books, journals, and podcasts, all while constantly brainstorming for original ideas, tailor-made to meet the ever-changing needs of their individual students.
Now, keep in mind that one lesson idea might come from a combination of lots of resources, and that single 50-minute lesson may have literally taken hours for each teacher to ponder, plan, purchase (with their own money), set up, and execute.
Granted, it might just be the fact that as a retired Mississippi teacher, I realize all the preliminary preparation and work that each lesson takes, but I stand in amazement as I see and hear about the great lessons our kids are experiencing each day at various Mississippi schools. So, keep in mind that today I am only sharing one of many fun learning activities that I heard about in different classrooms across the state recently.
But I really was amazed and excited for the kids of East Union Elementary School last week when I saw one of the reading activities in which they participated: Ms. Marlee May and Ms. Brittany Greenhill turned their classroom into a reader’s dream-spot, an inviting, cozy reading nook called “Starbooks Café.”
Students at this East Union “Starbooks” were able to order a yummy snack and select a tasty, juicy drink, all while reading and listening to guests read some fun stories. Each reader also received a “Starbooks” bag filled with books, specifically chosen and packed by this amazing teacher duo with the subject, preferences, and reading levels of each child in mind.
In fact, the books in those “Starbooks” gift bags were chosen according to the Accelerated Reading (AR) level of each student. This aspect of the day’s reading lesson ensured that students could also participate and take individual tests in the ongoing, school-wide AR contest that is currently taking place at East Union Attendance Center.
As a sidenote, Toyota Manufacturing actually provides a state-of-the-art book vending machine from which students can earn prizes for AR reading, good citizenship, or representing the #GoldStandard core values of East Union Attendance Center.
While the kids were enjoying their cozy time at “Starbooks Café,” each table of readers discussed key ideas in their new books, as well as sight words and possible phonics words the students are learning about in other classes.
It was truly a day filled with a ”latte” fun for these East Union learners, a day these young students will remember long after the “Starbooks Café” is closed. And hopefully, it will be a day that sparks a lifelong love of reading.
So, let’s salute Ms. May, Ms. Greenhill, and all the other Mississippi teachers who work tirelessly to make learning fun for our students. And maybe we should also stop by a local coffee shop and buy them a latte or two.
*All photos are courtesy of East Union Attendance Center
