From: KayWin at aol.com <KayWin>
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2004 08:37:16 -0500

Dear June: Your post made my heart sing!
             All of our teachers read
             We know the importance of reading aloud
             In all of our classrooms we have independent reading time
             students have choice in what they read
             students participate in shared reading using drama art and variations on big books. etc...
             YES! YES! YES!
             Would that your letter could be shared with schools across the country talked about in faculty meetings, discussed in district offices. Would you consider sending it to the IRA Reading Journal or to NEA , or Teacher K-8 Your testimony needs to be heard! What you are talking about is building life long learners.
       ` Such a contrast to the teachers who tell me

             We are having to teach the test day after day -
             We have been told to take classroom library books off the shelves, and focus on textbooks.
             Reading aloud is considered fluff and entertainment
             Art and music are being relegated to after school programs.
             The school librarian was cut out of the budget.

Your message shines a light on what has become a dark time in education. You have many supporters! Thank you for sharing.

Kay Winters
"My Teacher for President"
Received on Wed 20 Oct 2004 08:37:16 AM CDT