Congratulations to the three teachers in the Oxford School District who received almost $3,000 in grants from the Assistance League.
Jean Swartzmiller, a reading specialist and reading recovery teacher at Clear Lake Elementary, received $953 for her proposal to create a parent-level book library at Clear Lake.
The project will offer level books to parents so they can read with their child for extra practice.
Swartzmiller said Clear Lake parents are really supportive parents and really work hard with their kids.
‘We know from research that one of the best ways to increase a child’s site vocabulary is to have them read massive amounts of reading at the easy level,? she said.
Book levels begin at 1, being the easiest, and go all the way up to easy chapter books. The grant money Swartzmiller received will be used to purchase a whole set of books.
She said this parent-level library is important because it’s one more piece that’s going to help children reach their reading potential.
‘Now I can give them the tools to do that at home,? Swartzmiller said.
Linda Ruby, media specialist for Oxford Elementary and Daniel Axford, received $1,000 for her proposal to use video clips and images to enhance instruction and learning in all areas of curriculum for grades 3-5.
Care of United Streaming, teachers will be able to connect to a database of video clips to use for instructional purposes. ‘It’s like having a video library at your fingertips,? Ruby said.
Currently, Oxford Middle School uses the video clip system.
The money Ruby received from the grant will be used to pay for the yearly subscription and to purchase portable hardrives so the clips can be used from classroom to classroom.
‘I think our kids are more and more visual learners and I don’t think that there’s anyway you can deny that visual literacy is extremely important,? Ruby the said. ‘It gives them the auditory, it gives them the visual.?
Chuck Currie, a physical education teacher at Oxford Middle School, also received $1,000 for his proposed in-school bowling program.
The in-school bowling program was created to promote lifelong activities, utilize cross-curricular activities and foster positive social skills among the students participating in the program.
Currie said bowling would be taught during the gym class, teaching kids about the sport and how to keep score the old-fashioned way. The students would take a trip to a real bowling alley at the end of the semester. ‘The grant money is going to be used to buy bowling equipment; pins, balls,? Currie said.
Collier Lanes has also agreed to contribute $1,500 towards the program.
Currie said any lifelong sport, like bowling, is good for kids to learn because ‘they learn to cooperate? and learn ‘math skills.?
If all goes well, the in-school bowling program may be available by the second semester of this year.
The Assistance League is a non-profit, non-political organization that was founded in 1933 with the goal to assist at-risk or the less fortunate in southeast Michigan.
Their Link to Creative Teaching program offers teachers the opportunity to write requests for funds for curriculum advancement or a special program that they wish to offer.
sport and how to keep score the old-fashioned way. The students would take a trip to a real bowling alley at the end of the semester. ‘The grant money is going to be used to buy bowling equipment; pins, balls,? Currie said.
Collier Lanes has also agreed to contribute $1,500 towards the program.
Currie said any lifelong sport, like bowling, is good for kids to learn because ‘they learn to cooperate? and learn ‘math skills.?
If all goes well, the in-school bowling program may be available by the second semester of this year.
The Assistance League is a non-profit, non-political organization that was founded in 1933 with the goal to assist at-risk or the less fortunate in southeast Michigan.
Their Link to Creative Teaching program offers teachers the opportunity to write requests for funds for curriculum advancement or a special program that they wish to offer.