More Than Just Academics

LSEM > stories > Wow Story > More Than Just Academics

More Than Just Academics

  • February 16, 2022
  • Posted by: Caitlin McCallum
  • Category: Wow Story
No Comments
Wow Wednesday Stories from the Classroom

As a teacher, I love all my students!  It’s part of why we teach. I am blessed to be the new teacher at Lutheran Interparish in Williamsburg, Iowa. Most of the parents take an active interest in their children’s’ learning. This makes my job even more enjoyable.

I have a fourth grade student named Charlie.  Let me tell you a bit about Charlie and his heart before I tell you about his success in reading.  Charlie is a thinker and his thinking is usually about other people and how he can help them.  As we have read stories this year, Charlie often wonders and comments about how bad things could be happening in our world now or in history.  He is always thinking of ways he could help someone.

One lesson we had related to goals we might have in life.  Charlie already knows he wants to find a way to help as many people as he can by farming and growing food, or inventing something to make life easier for people who have to work so hard to provide for their families.  I believe one day I will be reading about his endeavors in life.

I work with Charlie to help him increase his reading fluency and comprehension.  His words read per minute have almost doubled since the beginning of the year with his accuracy being at 100%.  He is now within 10 words of being at grade level. He has been scoring much better on his comprehension work in the classroom.  Thanks to the generosity of the parents at LIS, I received a book series I have used in the past to spark the interest of readers who “think” they don’t like to read.  Charlie immediately wanted to take a book home and read with his Mom and his younger brother. He even challenged his classroom teacher to see who could read the most pages in their book at home one night.  He has worked hard by reading 6 chapter books since mid December.

As proud as I am of Charlie for his reading scores, I am even more impressed with his love of Jesus that shines through in his kind heart that is always looking for ways to help others. “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” 1John 3:17-18.  This verse embodies the heart I see in Charlie.  My prayer is for Charlie to continue to grow in his love for the Lord.

~written by Laurie Thompson, LSEM teacher at Lutheran Interparish School in Williamsburg, IA