Individualized Learning Stories
Reading and Rhythm
Professor Alan Parks, Celesta Kirk '11 and Lori Mead, Kindergarten teacher at Columbus Elementary School.
For Celesta Kirk '11, the joy she finds in making music is making it easier for Appleton Kindergarteners to find the joy in reading.
Kirk is a Lawrence ArtsBridge scholar who has been teaching Reading in Motion® to Kindergarteners at Columbus and Richmond Elementary Schools for the past two years. Based in Chicago, Reading in Motion’s mission is to enhance students’ reading skills through the power and discipline of the arts. Twice a week, Kirk teaches 30 to 45-minute lessons, using call-and-response lyrics, rhythm and tempo to help the Kindergarteners express the different sounds they might hear in a spoken word. “The underlying theme of the program is that rhythm increases fluency,” Kirk said. “It’s a time for a new face to come into the classroom and have fun through motion, music and the teaching of literacy skills. All Kindergarteners find it enjoyable and learn something from it.”
Supervising Kirk’s project is Alan Parks, professor of mathematics. With his strong interest in music, and experience working with kids of all ages on various projects, Parks was happy to get involved with Kirk’s endeavor. Their interactive relationship includes pre-teaching meetings and planning. In addition, Parks provided helpful assessment tips for Kirk to use in evaluating her students and visited her Kindergarten classroom twice per term. “I can see how much native ability she has in educating children,” Parks said. “We discuss how things are going, but mostly I just reinforce the many good ideas she has.” Kirk’s on-site mentors, Lori Mead from Columbus Elementary and Stephanie Raatz from Richmond Elementary have also been instrumental. “I’m so thankful they opened up their classrooms to this new idea,” Kirk said. “I couldn’t have done this without them.”
For Kirk, a music education major with a choral emphasis, the experience has helped her become more confident in her teaching and to fine-tune her post-Lawrence aspirations. “This not only has given me a specialty, but it has given me clear direction in what I want to do next. Because of this program I know I definitely want to work with younger students.”
As her time at Lawrence winds down, Kirk is looking forward to student teaching this fall. She’s hoping to find an opportunity in Chicago so she can get even more exposure to the Reading in Motion program. “I truly believe literacy is the most important thing all of us learn in school.” Kirk said. “This program will give me a step up because I can use my music skills to enhance literacy. It’s been a really good experience.”
