JONES COUNTY, Ga. — Students at Mattie Wells Elementary School are hitting the books better than ever with help from a statewide reading program and one-on one assistance from teachers.
Growing Readers is a Kindergarten through third grade literacy professional learning grant that's sprouting into action right in Jones County.
Principal Gwinnette Hudson says the goal of the program is to decrease the number of students needing extra support for reading in the early stages of their life so they'll be ready for success later on says
"It's a fundamental skill and it initially starts in kindergarten with letters and sounds. Kindergarten through second grade we normally say you are learning to read, but by third grade you are reading to learn," Hudson said.
The program provides book for the school. On top of that some of the teachers are trained professionally as 'growing readers teachers,' so they can water kid's minds through special practices to help them read better.
"I try to give them strategies for reading. So if they are misreading a word, it helps them grow and they feel proud about reading with you," teacher Tracy Parker said.
And staff says the program produces results.
"I've seen a lot of kids grow just being able to have that one on one time with the teacher and knowing where their errors are and using those tools to help become better readers," Hudson said.
Because reading is fundamental.
"It's in science, it's in social studies, it's in mathematics now more than ever so it's very important," Hudson said.
RELATED ARTICLES: