Faculty honor Dr. Seuss, encourage literacy
Attentive faces and laughter filled Mrs. Putt’s lively fourth grade class as Carolyn Collins, University College dean, read the Dr. Seuss favorite “Hooray for Diffen Doofer Day.”
It seemed the famous Cat in the Hat ran wild Friday throughout Highland Elementary on Sunset Boulevard, with teachers and LSU faculty members dressed in their finest red and white top hats, yarn tails and painted whiskers.
In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America Day, LSU faculty members from the Drama, Basic Sciences and University College departments greeted students with creative interpretations of classic Dr. Seuss stories at LSU partnership program school Highland Elementary.
LSU faculty members participated in the event as part of the Highland Elementary/LSU Partnership Program started in Spring 2000. The partnership is an agreement between East Baton Rouge Parish schools and LSU.
The program mission is to provide quality education for all children in a learning community of pre-service teachers, in-service teachers, administrators and University faculty.
“We love this day because teachers come and read us fun [Dr. Seuss] stories with their cool and silly hats,” said second-grade student Shan, age 8.
Students from grades K-5 participated in many activities throughout the week to prepare for the Dr. Seuss celebration.
Creative Dr. Seuss signs and pictures decorated the hallways, students busily constructed special “Cat in the Hat” hats, and many classes enjoyed birthday parties with hat- shaped cakes. Teachers even specialized their assignments to go along with the Dr. Seuss theme.
Mrs. Ducote’s second-grade class learned how to read “The Cat in the Hat” in French and wrote letters to its teacher convincing her to try a new food, like in the popular story “Green Eggs and Ham.”
“LSU field students came to my class and taught students how to make Oobleck [a character from “Barthalamule and Oobleck”] out of cornstarch and water as one of our many Dr. Seuss Day events,” said third-grade teacher Belinda Cambre.
Paula Summers-Calderon, graduate assistant and elementary social studies methods teacher, said students were excited about the change in atmosphere.
“The kids love the hats; they are cute and show a sense of excitement. It is great to have someone else come in and read to them,” she said.
The Dr. Seuss Day program helps increase literacy rates across America. The overall goal is to get students excited about reading, and the teachers feel the Dr. Seuss Day events definitely assist in achieving that goal, Summers-Calderon said.
“Dr. Seuss Day makes me want to read more. I love his books because they are funny, and the pictures are so pretty,” said fourth-grade student Precious, age 10. “He is a great author.”
Chloe’ Wiley