York Elementary School Principal Dawn Harris gave her students some homework Tuesday night.
Yes, she said, she knows this Evergreen Public Schools elementary is a no-homework campus. But this night is special. This night is Tuck in Tuesday.
For three weeks, Harris has been reading to her students at 7:30 p.m. every Tuesday over Facebook Live. Students at the Orchards-area elementary are encouraged to snuggle up with their family (whatever adult has a Facebook account) and listen to Harris read from a new, brightly-colored storybook.
Harris was inspired by Belinda George, an elementary school principal in Beaumont, Texas, whose own Tuesday story times went viral and attracted national attention.
“This is one thing that I can do,” Harris said. “I can connect with families and hopefully spread out more into the community.”
Harris’ approach to education is pretty simple: Show kids and families that you love teaching them, and they’ll love school in return.
It was with that in mind that Harris started this new tradition, and it’s already starting to work. Harris recalled how one little boy, who never seemed excited or engaged in school, is now starting to ask her to read specific books.
“It’s that engagement with the kids, no matter what,” she said.
Christie BrownSilva, a mother of six, has been hunkering down in her pajamas with her children every Tuesday. All but her youngest, a baby girl, attended or are currently attending York Elementary School.
“Even my teenagers are like ‘Oh my gosh,’ ” BrownSilva said. “They’re always excited. It’s brought us together on a week night.”
BrownSilva said this is typical of Harris — she attends Parent-Teacher Association events, is involved in after-school activities and dresses up for special events. Harris said she’s got her eye on unicorn footie pajamas for future Tuck in Tuesdays.
“She’s always doing something fun with these kids,” BrownSilva said.
Harris’ weekly readings are peppered with commentary and greetings. She says hello to students and parents as they log in and leave comments.
“Hi mrs Harris. This is Payton, it’s fun watching you read,” one student posted through a parent this week.
“Kyous loved watching this all the way from Disneyland!” one parent wrote during spring break.
“Kazu says ‘I really enjoyed it! You should do it every week!’ ” another said the first week.
Harris plans on it. It only takes 15 minutes, she said, and students are coming in to school on Wednesdays eager to tell her about how they watched her online the night before. Others are bringing her books to read, or asking her what she’s going to read next.
“It’s little things like that,” she said.
Harris’ selection this week — and the inspiration for her homework assignment — was “Be Kind” by Pat Zietlow Miller. In the book, the narrator speculates at ways he could be kind to a friend who spilled grape juice on her dress and in turn, how he could show kindness to the rest of his school and town.
“So remember when I said homework?” Harris asked as she closed her book.
“What can you do tomorrow that you will show kindness for somebody else or for our school or for your community?”
Harris, at least, has already finished that assignment.
