Meet the amazing educator in the video below.
Video credit: 12NewsNow
Almost all elementary educators try to inculcate a love of reading in their students, one Texas principal has gone a little too far – and the children are absolutely loving it.
Dr Belinda George of Homer Drive Elementary in Beaumont, Texas, takes to Facebook live every Tuesday night and reads a bedtime story to her students.
“I don’t know if they are read to or not at home,” the 42-year-old said.
Dr George, who is a first-year principal, often snuggles into a pair of pajamas or a cozy onesie as she goes live each Tuesday at exact 7:30 pm in what she calls as “Tucked-in Tuesdays.”
“Kids will come up to me Wednesday and say, ‘Dr. George, I saw you in your PJs reading!’” she said. “They’ll tell me their favorite part of the book.”
After listening to the animated character voices made up by their beloved principal, students usually ask her where they can find that book in the library.
Dr George’s audience has gradually expanded a lot as parents and children all over the country now tune in to watch her amazing stories.
“Serenity is watching from Albuquerque, NM,” says a comment on one of her videos.
“LOVE THIS!!!!!,” reads another comment from Illinois. “Thank you for going out of your way for them!” says a third from Orlando.
Dr George, who doesn’t have any children of her own, says she adores her students and wants to keep a strong relationship with them.
“The bottom line is I love, love kids,” the principal said. “I know if I don’t reach them outside of school I never reach them in school.”
She started her videos for around 680 students of her school but they have now gotten to as many as 2k views on Facebook.
Before starting the story, Dr George would pronounce the names of the students who pops up on her screen.
She has to do it very carefully because, “they’ll come in the next day and tell me, ‘You’re saying my name wrong,’” Dr George said.
She would mimic voices and make gestures to keep her stories interesting for little kids, often stuffing in witty jokes on the spur of the moment.
For instance, when she was reading “Ladybug Girl” one evening, she came across some lines in which Ladybug Girl’s brother said he won’t play with her because she was too small.
At this point, Dr George looked into the camera and asked, “How many of you have ever been told that you’re too little to do something?”
“I have three older sisters, and they used to tell me I was too little to do something,” she continued with a spark in her eyes. “But guess what? I did it anyway.”
The audience laughed alongside her and she received several comments like, “Gisselle is clapping she said she loves when you read ♥️♥️♥️♥️”
Dr George said her students have been showing more interest in their studies ever since she started it last year. The students, 94 percent of whom come from marginalized families, have also shown improvement in their grades.
By her initiative, Dr George seeks to inculcate positivity in her students.
“I understand some of these kids will never go to college, but I don’t want them to feel like they’re not successful. Whatever you choose, just be good at it,” she said. “If you’re a ditch digger, be the best ditch digger there is.”
Besides telling stories on Facebook, she also has two dance parties at school every week.
Moreover, she frequently visits the homes of her students to help them if they’re off track or to give them kudos over a good performance.
“Anything I can do to build relationships,” she said. “If a child feels loved they will try. There’s no science about it.”
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