BOOKWORKS GRANT HELPS STUDENTS ENJOY READING

Tyne Swain sits at the computer as, left to right, Erin Fields, Jessica Ribbel, Bethany Smothers, Justin Greable and Brenda Crain in back watch.

Rebecca Richbourg uses the computer in class at Gordonville Attendance Center.

The Gordonville Attendance Center received a $5000 grant for a reading project named "Bookworks," recently.

Brenda Crain, a teacher for 26 years, wrote a grant to the Missouri Department of Education for this school year and was awarded the grant.

Incentive grants are evaluated on a competitive basis at state level and Crain's grant was one of 482 that was chosen out of 1800 submissions.

The grant has allowed Crain to purchase a computer, electronic bookshelf software that tests the children on the novels they read and $800 worth of books.

"I'm trying to give them a love of reading," Crain said.

Some of the books Crain purchased with the grant money are old favorites like "Charlotte's Web," "Little House on the Prairie" and "Paddington Bear."

The grant money also allowed the school to purchase a book binding machine so that each child can make a diary of all the books that they have read.

Crain also purchased some literary videos so that the class can compare the video to the novel and note the differences in each.

The computer software tests the children after they have read a book. If the student gets four out of five questions right they earn points for that book.

If the student doesn't pass, they can take another test on that book. The questions are not the same and the student must answer four out of five correctly to gain points for that book. The student gets three chances to pass the tests before they have to try again later.

The class has read between 160 and 170 books so far, according to Crain.

The computer keeps track of the children's reading and a report is sent home to the parents.

Part of this program is to encourage parents to get children to read at home.

The program will also increase the children's reading proficiency and give them positive attitudes towards reading.

Crain said that her class is the only class in Jackson R-2 using this program.

She is hoping to increase her students Missouri Masters Achievement Test (MMAT) scores with this program.

Crain is not new to grant writing. In 1986, she and two other faculty members wrote a grant and received $17,000 for their effort writing the Enhance Actual Reading Norms Through Language Contact (EARNTLC).

Crain also receive a $5000 grant last year for "Literature Works."

Last year's grant allowed Crain to purchase novel sets to enhance the students reading skills.

All of these grants are in addition to the normal reading curriculum.

"It's a bonus for the children," Crain said.

Crain said that she got involved to get Gordonville Attendance Center a library facility. Grant writing was the only way to have quality books for the children.