Media Relations
University of South Florida
Polytechnic
3433 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 667-7077
Fax (863) 667-7097
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Contact:
Tom Hagerty
(863)
667-7077
Dr. Ruth Sylvester,
Assistant Professor of
Childhood Education
LAKELAND,
FL (March 3, 2008) -
When she learned Polk County had no literacy council for elementary school teachers, Dr. Ruth Sylvester decided to start one.
An assistant professor of childhood education at the University of South Florida Lakeland, Sylvester knows first-hand the value of such an organization.
“Since my time as a classroom teacher I have joined several national and international professional organizations that focus on literacy,” she says. “I thoroughly enjoy the professional growth I experience, not to mention networking with other educators.
"I had planned to join a local reading council, mainly to model for my pre-service and in-service teachers the importance of belonging to a professional organization, but I was stunned when I realized there was not a Polk County Reading Council. So I set out to charter one."
In organizing the council she worked with three educators from the Polk County School Board and Dr. Sherry Kragler, associate professor of childhood education at USF Lakeland. The council promotes quality literacy instruction, advocate lifelong reading, provide networking and collegiality, and develop and implement literacy projects to benefit the community.
Principal Janet Wizda of Scott Lake Elementary in Lakeland feels the council will promote collaboration that will benefit both educators and students.
"The Polk County Reading Council will assist our teachers in coming together to talk about all aspects of reading," she says. "I look forward to sharing best practices on teaching reading to our diverse groups of children, and sharing research-based information to improve reading instruction and enhance reading so our children once again love to read. There is nothing better than colleagues coming together from all walks of life and educational experiences to discuss teaching our most valuable resource, our children."
Karen Wright, third-grade teacher at Sleepy Hill Elementary in Lakeland, and a member of the International Reading Association, voiced her hopes for the Council:
"If this council is used to the fullest it could lead to great benefits to teachers. I can see it as a means of collaboration regarding new or difficult things going on in reading. Teachers can learn from each other through newsletters, a website, or meetings. I can see this council providing professional development or guest authors. There are times when teachers just need a place where they can bounce ideas or problems off someone who is not directly in their work area. We all have so much to give and this could be a means of sharing our knowledge. With a reading council teachers can be kept informed of new and exciting research that is going on in reading today."
Reading coach Betty Williams shares Wright's sentiments.
"Many of the teachers here at Sleepy Hill Elementary School have joined the Polk County Reading Council and are thrilled to be in at its beginnings. The initial meeting was fabulous, and we are looking forward to our next. How wonderful that we could be part of the inception of the Reading Council here in Polk County."
More than 200 educators attended the council's first meeting on Jan. 31. The agenda included presentations by the Florida Reading Association and the International Reading Association. Pearson Learning sponsored the event and presented more than $5,000 in leveled readers to Medulla Elementary for having over 60 percent of its staff present.
"I've read the goals of the Polk County Reading Council and agree wholeheartedly with them," says Andrea Gelfuso, a teacher at Oscar J. Pope Elementary in Lakeland. "I look forward to becoming an active member of this council. I know many wonderful discussions about literacy will follow."
So far more than 50 people have joined the new Polk County Reading Council, which is under the auspices of the International Reading Association. The next meeting is scheduled for March 27. For details contact Ruth Sylvester at (863) 667-7838 or ruthsylv@lakeland.usf.edu.
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