Education Worth Sharing

June 2011

If you are not finished with student classes just yet, then you soon will be.  By now you are lining up professional development courses to complete this summer and finalizing vacation plans. During your break we invite you to tune into the premiere of “Margaret Mitchell: American Rebel” June 30 on GPB at 8 p.m. It’s the most ambitious documentary about the author yet. (More in On-Air and Online.)

We asked for input on creative summer projects that help you stay fresh and relevant for students and got this inspiring response from Sarah Barfield of Shirley Hills Elementary School.

"Each summer my goal is to read as many “hot books” as I can.  I listen to the students talk about the books they’re reading, which ones they want to read, and what they’re recommending to their friends… If there is a series or a particularly interesting title that I haven’t added to our school’s collection, I add it to my “fall wish list” for the media center. 

"I made a book trailer [using Microsoft Photostory 3] for Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven, and I shared it with my 4^th and 5^th grade classes in April.  It was an instant hit, and all the kids were begging to read the book as soon as the video was over."
Sarah Barfield, Media Specialist

Sarah plans to make more digital book trailers this summer about some of the “hot books” her students recommended.

We would like to commend each of you in your diligent, creative efforts to make learning engaging and fun for your students.  Congratulations to all of our Georgia Educators on completing another school year!  We hope you continue to check in at www.gpb.org/education for updated education news, blogs, and resource pages to keep you informed all summer long.

Partners and Promotions

As part of the Georgia Weigh’s In initiative with Georgia Public Broadcasting and other fantastic organizations promoting health and wellness resources for Georgia’s children and adults, Sparkles and Starlite Family Fun Centers is offering, Free Family Fitness and Fun all summer.

Beginning June 2, and every Thursday night until August 11 from 6:30-9:30 pm, families can come to any of our 5 family fun centers throughout the Atlanta area for a night of FREE roller skating! We are offering Georgia family’s quality healthy time together. Together, we can begin to a healthy regime to get families on the road to a healthy lifestyle.

Prevent the "Summer Slide"

The article below is a segment from a letter from Deputy State Superintendent Martha Reichrath, Ph.D.  Many of you have seen this from your principals or media specialists, but we thought it was worth mentioning again.

As the end of the school year approaches, we all become concerned with the “summer slide”. The summer slide is an alarming trend in which students who do not read on a regular basis during the break fall behind in reading achievement. The Georgia Department of Education has launched READ GA to help prevent this ‘summer slide’ and to keep our students reading and learning.

According to a recent Harvard research study, if students are encouraged to utilize summer hours to read between five and eight books that interest them and that are on their Lexile level, the effects will be the same as going to summer school. Let’s make sure our students have a good book in their hands when they are not in the classroom.

The Lexile “Find a Book GA” website can help identify books that students are interested in and are able to read. This tool can be found at http://georgia.lexile.com or http://www.lexile.com/fab/ga. The Georgia Department of Education’s Lexile initiative information can be found at http://www.gadoe.org/lexile.aspx.

The end of the school year is a busy time, but it is important to do all we can to make sure young people continue to learn and challenge themselves. We appreciate you joining our efforts to help students “Find-a-Book” and increase their reading skills.

Martha R. Reichrath, Ph.D.
Deputy State Superintendent
Georgia Department of Education
Office of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment