Moving at the Speed of Creativity by Wesley Fryer

Be Kind, Do Your Best, and Become a Voracious Reader

Dr. Charlene Kohn, a multi-age primary classroom teacher at Wells Elementary School in Wells, Maine, has wonderfully summed up the approach we should all take to learning and work every day: “Be Kind” and “Do Your Best.”

Wells, Maine

She also has posted some clear, specific elaboration on what both of these phrases should and do mean for learners in her classroom.

Wells, Maine

Wells, Maine

I particularly like the last three lines under, “Do Your Best:”

  1. If you mess up, don’t get mad. Remember, everyone makes mistakes.
  2. Practice, practice, practice.
  3. Always try…. and never give up!

I had the pleasure of not only meeting Charlene this morning but also eating a fine breakfast at the Maine Diner with her and other multi-age teaching members of Bob Sprankle‘s educator family at Wells Elementary. What a great way to start the day, and what great reminders from Charlene to us all about the attitudes we should take toward our work and our play!

I also LOVED the encouragement to become a “voracious reader” which was evident in Charlene’s classroom!

Wells, Maine

She and her teaching partner have hundreds of books in their classrooms for students to enjoy.

Wells, Maine

It doesn’t take long when you’re in the professional home of a master teacher to know the lucky students in her room are blessed to be enjoying, “the real thing.” Learning with passion and energy… It’s contagious! We need more of it in all our schools!

Wells, Maine

Wells, Maine

Wells, Maine

The CAFE Book: Engaging All Students in Daily Literary Assessment and Instruction” and “The Daily Five: Fostering Literacy Independence in the Elementary Grades” by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser are two books Dr. Kohn enthusiastically recommends. Boushey and Moser are literacy voices we need to heed. I’ve added them to my Amazon Wish List.

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5 responses to “Be Kind, Do Your Best, and Become a Voracious Reader”

  1. […] “Be Kind, Do Your Best, and Become a Voracious Reader” | Moving at the Speed of Creativi… […]

  2. Jan Wells Avatar
    Jan Wells

    Wesley, Thanks for being our ‘eyes and ears’ and bringing us such great examples of educators and resources that lead the way.

  3. Lidia Avatar
    Lidia

    Thank you for this great idea!
    In my classroom I post the rules: Be kind, Be safe, Be your best and we talk at the beginning of the year about what they mean, but I think posting a list like this of the actual things that show you are being kind, safe and your best, and keeping it up throughout the year will really help my students continue to live by these rules all year long.
    Thanks again for the post!

  4. Charlene Kohn Avatar

    Thanks for sharing our ideas & classrooms, Wes! Just want to name and give credit to my teaching partner, Mary Beth Clason, one of the finest educators I have ever known–and I get to work with her everyday! Stop by any time!

  5. Brooke Avatar
    Brooke

    I really enjoyed reading this post! As a future educator I hope to one day have an inspiring classroom like this one! I loved how she has so many books for her students to read. I also liked how she had examples posted of each the the rules. This seems like it would be really useful throughout the school year. Thanks for sharing this post!