Published: Wednesday, October 24,
2007 10:52 PM EDT
Reading from the rooftops is a proper (and cheap) reward
To the Editor:
Does Dennis Laycock really want to go back to the days of
ruling kids by fear? ("Respect dwindles with hair-razing
stunts," Oct. 17). At Granby Elementary, my children are
never going to be hit or afraid of the principal, but they
respect Ms. Dawson and they are afraid of the negative
consequences if they make a poor choice. I rest easier
knowing my kids can talk to her about anything, and can ask
her for help without fear. That doesn't reduce her authority
or dignity, but increases them.
As a parent and PTA President, I'm grateful that Granby
Elementary Principal Linda Dawson holds a different view
from Mr. Laycock. When our PTA switched our fall fundraising
event from a gift-wrap sale to a Readathon, we needed to
generate excitement about the Readathon, both to motivate
the kids and to keep the Readathon a topic of interest at
home. Ms. Dawson agreed to help, and I deeply appreciate her
effort.
We would never ask her to do anything permanent or punitive,
but she is going to read a story to the whole school from
the roof if the kids read at least 2,000 hours. The kids are
at 1,300 hours and counting! Where is the harm? A principal
reading a story to the entire school is the perfect reward
for great readers. And Mr. Laycock? It doesn't cost a dime!
A pizza party for a class of 25 kids can run about $100, and
for a school of 450 (like ours) that tab is well over
$2,000. That's using a local pizza joint that gives us a
generous discount. A day at an amusement park? Get real. I
could never justify spending more than $6,000 on a field
trip and the district couldn't afford to bus the kids there
and back for no charge. A celebration at the school is
already something with which we reward our students at the
end of the year, but it takes dozens of volunteers and a big
budget. It is not practical as a fundraising reward.
Fundraising is difficult for PTAs. If parents feel badgered
for donations, or if the kids have to bug the neighbors to
buy stuff, everyone is less than happy to participate. If
kids are excited and happy about earning money for their
school, parents tend to support that happy effort with
money. Promising a story from the roof for 2,000 hours of
reading doesn't damage Ms. Dawson's authority or dignity, it
shows her students and their parents her care and commitment
to our school and our children.
I feel lucky to have a principal who not only inspires my
children's respect, but also their trust and admiration ...
in addition to being able to define, spell and use the word
"plethora" in a sentence.