TEACHER'S CORNER: TEACHER DEMONSTRATES LOVE OF READING TO STUDENTS

Leasa Eudy, a first-year kindergarten teacher at Washington Elementary School, uses a variety of methods to express her love of reading to her students.

"I love books and reading, and I really try to emphasize it in class," said Eudy, whose mother also teaches a kindergarten class in Cape Girardeau schools.

One of Eudy's favorite activities this year has been the book order savings accounts she manages for her students. After noticing the students often had loose change, she told them if they brought it to class they had to deposit it into accounts that are then used to purchase books.

"It seemed like the children always had loose change that they would either lose or get in trouble for playing with it," she said. "I tried to think of something constructive and came up with this."

The most humorous experience Eudy has had occurred after students had heard from a series of guest speakers who discussed various types of prevention. On one particular day, everything was going well until the speaker asked what children should do if someone offered them drugs.

"They all yelled out 'Stop, drop and roll,'" said Eudy. "The speaker laughed and told the children he thought that would probably work. He said he could tell the fireman had already been here."

Eudy said her students make teaching fun and exciting each day. "They are so curious and eager to learn, and they get so excited when they figure out an answer or a problem they were having difficulty with," she said. "It's really gratifying."