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Featured Research Accomplishments of the Month
Dr. Carolyn Russell
College of Education
A Reading Project in Three Elementary Schools
In 2011, a reading project designed to foster positive character traits, improve behavior and to develop comprehension skills began in one Title I elementary school in a small Alabama city. High quality children’s books that addressed morals, values and ethics were read to students by members of a local civic club. The civic club members included judges, ministers, bankers, business owners, counselors, an assistant superintendent and other professional leaders. The readers were considered role models for the students and they read and discussed books that addressed positive character traits such a tolerance, honesty, kindness, respect, responsibility, cooperation and acceptance. Included among the books the role models read were: Be Good to Eddie Lee (tolerance), A Day’s Work (Honesty, self-respect), Swimmy (cooperation), It’s Mine! (sharing), The Empty Pot (honesty and courage) and The Wednesday Surprise (care and compassion). In 2012 the project was expanded to three Title I schools. The readers/role models were the civic club members, athletes from a junior college and gifted students from a local high school. The project will continue in the fall.
In order to determine which character traits to address first, teachers were asked