Ms. Jackson: How do you feel? Do you see the progression in him? Have you-

Kevin: Yeah.

Ms. Jackson: Have you seen a big change?

Kevin: I got the chance to hear him read the other day, cause I didn’t even know if he can read.

Ms. Jackson: It’s impressive, isn’t it?

Kevin: Mm-hm, and I know he can do the work.

Ms. Jackson: Yes, that’s the key.

Ms. Morgan: He can.

Ms. Jackson: He can do it.

Ms. Morgan: He can.

Shelley: (off camera) Will it work?

Tavares: We need money.

Kevin: Tavares has enthusiasm. He loves to be in school. On the weekends, he wants to know if he’s going to school. ‘Are we going to school today?’ ‘I wanna go to school! … Can we go to school?’

Tavares: Daaaang!

Kevin: I’ve never been like that. I didn’t like school, so it’s a change.

Tavares: He was flappin his wings. Auntie, auntie, he was doing like this …

Kevin: You know, I like to see him like that. It makes me proud of him.

Brasfield: This is good sleeping weather.

IT’S AN EARLY START FOR PRINCIPAL LEONARD BRASFIELD AND HIS TEAM. THEY’RE TRAVELING SOUTH TO THE OLD RAILROAD STOP OF KOPPERL, TEXAS. THE WALTON CREW IS HERE TO SEE HOW PRINCIPAL BARROW AND HIS TEACHERS ARE DOING AFTER SIX WEEKS WITH READING MASTERY.

Ms. Hamill: I think we alternated between chaos and limbo. You know, just my personal opinion. One day we thought we knew what was going on and the next we were sure we didn’t.

TEACHERS SAY THE PROGRAM IS TOO RIGID FOR THEIR MORE ADVANCED STUDENTS. BUT THESE SECOND AND THIRD GRADERS WHO STRUGGLE WITH READING HAVE MADE SOME PROGRESS.

Josh: /rrrr/ /eeeee/ Oh, man.

Ms. Hamill: Use your loud voice.

Josh: /rrrr/ /iiii/ rink. Ring!

Ms. Hamill: Ring. Good job.

Ms. Hamill: Josh has probably advanced six months – six to nine months reading level. He’s covered almost all of what he would have covered in an entire school year.

Josh: Cast?

Ms. Hamill, Kemp, and others: Good job!

Applause

Ms. Kemp: You know, I want you to know: I am very proud. You are doing outstanding.

Ms. Hamill: They are.

Ms. Kemp: Yes, I get teary eyed.

Ms. Hamill: So, you think we’re making it?

Ms. Kemp: You’re doin’ it. You are doin’ it.

Ms. Barrow: I see kids with books in their hands. I see kids going to the library. I see kids who come up to me and brag about reading a particular book. I don’t mean to overstate. We’re not at the moon, yet. But we have blasted off, and we have left the earth’s surface, if you will.

Ms. Kemp: So were you reading before this program?

© 2003 WETA/Reading Rockets. All rights reserved.
This Web site was produced for PBS by WETA's Reading Rockets project, funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs.
PBS Privacy Policy

Photo Credit for Bearden Elementary: Maude Schuyler Clay
Photo Credit for Walton Elementary: Chris Hamilton