Administration

Communications

C-SC celebrates reading and Dr. Seuss
Wednesday, March 02, 2011

CANTON, Mo. – There were no candles or cake, but there were costumes as Culver-Stockton College Associate Professor of Education Dr. Terry Sherer and students celebrated the birthday of Dr. Seuss. Wacky hair, mismatched socks and a complete “Thing One” costume were part of the fun as students in Sherer’s “Methods of Teaching” and “Teaching Remedial Reading” classes studied the works of Dr. Seuss.

The students, who aspire to one day become teachers, read aloud popular Dr. Seuss books, including Hop on Pop, The Cat in the Hat and If I Ran the Zoo. “This type of exercise helps you get ready to be in front of kids, relate to them and find ways to help them learn,” explains Perry Bonds, junior elementary education major from Griggsville, Ill. Bonds and his classmates were also challenged to develop unique lesson plans, creative writing assignments and other activities for young students based on the beloved author’s works. “I’ve always been amazed that we don’t use Dr. Seuss as textbooks in kindergarten through second grade classes because of the influence he has had on the five key areas we emphasize in student reading,” commented Sherer.

Dr. Seuss, whose given name was Theodor Seuss Geisel and who would have been 107 years old today, has long been renowned for his use of rhyming and nonsensical words to captivate young readers. Sherer says books by Dr. Seuss are highly effective in promoting phonological awareness - the sound and structure of the spoken word; phonemic awareness - the ability to hear and manipulate phonemes; reading fluency and comprehension; and vocabulary, which are all skills that are emphasized when teaching beginning readers.

But beyond teaching reading skills, C-SC students say Dr. Seuss helps teach young people to enjoy reading. “Kids are excited to read when they pick up a book and it’s bright, colorful and it has these crazy words; that’s what Dr. Seuss does,” says Kathleen MacKenzie, senior elementary education major from Springfield, Mo. Getting kids interested in reading and maintaining that interest can be a major challenge for educators; especially once students reach fourth grade, when Sherer says reading comprehension and frequency begin to decline dramatically. “Teachers face a lot of challenges and variables in the classroom. To be successful as educators, these students have to be prepared. They’re going to have students who are defiant, students with different interests and intelligence levels; they need to recognize and adapt to those variables. I try to teach in a creative way; that’s what Dr. Seuss’ books do, and that’s what I hope these students will do when they reach the classroom,” says Sherer.

Photos:
1) Dr. Terry Sherer, C-SC professor of education, teaches students ways to engage young readers.
2) Kathleen MacKenzie, senior elementary education major, gets creative with her attire as she reads “If I Ran the Zoo” by Dr. Seuss.
3) C-SC education students dressed the part as they celebrated the 107th birthday of Dr. Seuss.