I was invited to be part of the celebration today at St. Mary's School in Cheyenne, Wyoming to help celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. There seems to be universal appeal in setting this day aside each year to focus on the gift of stories so brilliantly composed by Dr. Seuss.
I joined a list of others from the community to read selected Dr. Seuss stories to the students. I shared time in one classroom with Jillian Balow, Wyoming's State Superintendent of Public Instruction. She was scheduled to participate in celebrations at five different schools throughout the course of the day. Although she is elected to office to oversee public school instruction I appreciate her stopping by to help students at our Catholic school celebrate as well.
The book that I read to four different groups of students was, Horton Hears a Who! By the time I completed it the fourth time I had the voices down pretty well. The students joined me in unison with the voice of the little kangaroo from the pouch to say, "Me Too." We had just a couple of minutes to discuss the moral of the story at the end of each session. That was more than enough time as the students easily grasped the lessons to be learned from the behavior of the various characters.
As Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Wyoming I am grateful to see such positive things happening in our schools. The behavior of the students was exemplary. Their ability to grasp the meaning of the story and articulate that message to me in a clear and concise manner was impressive. The social environment in the school was upbeat and positive. There was a sense of excitement about learning that was clearly evident.
I want to thank the administration, teachers, and support staff of St. Mary's School for coordinating a successful day highlighting the benefits of reading. I also would like to thank all those who took the time to read books to the students today. We had members of the clergy, military personnel, law enforcement, the spouse of the Secretary of State--Caren Murray, Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen, and others. It is truly appreciated when members of the community give so generously of their time to support the work that we are doing in our Catholic schools.
I joined a list of others from the community to read selected Dr. Seuss stories to the students. I shared time in one classroom with Jillian Balow, Wyoming's State Superintendent of Public Instruction. She was scheduled to participate in celebrations at five different schools throughout the course of the day. Although she is elected to office to oversee public school instruction I appreciate her stopping by to help students at our Catholic school celebrate as well.
The book that I read to four different groups of students was, Horton Hears a Who! By the time I completed it the fourth time I had the voices down pretty well. The students joined me in unison with the voice of the little kangaroo from the pouch to say, "Me Too." We had just a couple of minutes to discuss the moral of the story at the end of each session. That was more than enough time as the students easily grasped the lessons to be learned from the behavior of the various characters.
As Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Wyoming I am grateful to see such positive things happening in our schools. The behavior of the students was exemplary. Their ability to grasp the meaning of the story and articulate that message to me in a clear and concise manner was impressive. The social environment in the school was upbeat and positive. There was a sense of excitement about learning that was clearly evident.
I want to thank the administration, teachers, and support staff of St. Mary's School for coordinating a successful day highlighting the benefits of reading. I also would like to thank all those who took the time to read books to the students today. We had members of the clergy, military personnel, law enforcement, the spouse of the Secretary of State--Caren Murray, Cheyenne Mayor Rick Kaysen, and others. It is truly appreciated when members of the community give so generously of their time to support the work that we are doing in our Catholic schools.
Jillian Balow,Wyoming Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction
Getting the voices and the expressions right are all part of effective story-telling.
Horton Hears A Who!
Getting the voices and the expressions right are all part of effective story-telling.
Horton Hears A Who!
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