Last Monday I was having a tough morning. I had forgotten that it was RIF day at school. RIF is a non profit that gives free books to children a few times a year. RIF stands for Reading is Fundamental. The children get to choose a book and take it home and read it with their family. It's a great program that encourages reading within families.
Its kind of a big ordeal because a reader comes to the class and reads a story to the kids. Usually its a retired teacher who hasn't been in the classroom in awhile. They forget how wild they can get, and its embarrasing for me that my students don't listen and embarrasing for the person reading that they can't get the kids under control. Next we all go to a location and pick out a book. Usually 4 kids find one book that they all HAVE to have. They fight over it until one kid wins, and the students move on and forget. We always have a few kids who will get spanish books and they only speak english at home, or a kid who can convince the people stamping the books that they really NEED this chapter book about some historical figure even though they can't read, "The cat is fat."
Either way the Lord sent me a gift. That Monday morning when things could have been going a little smoother, He sent Mayra Skipwith into my classroom to read to the kids. She goes to my church and has such a special touch with people. I have heard about her for awhile and I randomly sat next to her during a bible study this summer. She taught for many years in the public schools and is a very knowledgable woman. She was wonderful with the kids and it was great that I got that encouragement!
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