You deserve good things
After she saw reading scores had dipped, Principal Belinda George found a unique way to foster a love of reading in her elementary school students: by reading them bedtime stories on Facebook Live!
Snuggled in a pair of unicorn pajamas, Belinda George selected a book from her bookshelf and settled down in her living room for a bedtime story. But Belinda isn’t a little girl. She’s the principal of Homer Drive Elementary School in Beaumont, Texas. Opening Facebook Live on her cellphone, she smiled out at the dozens of students who had tuned in for another “Tucked-in Tuesday” and began reading.
When Belinda started as principal last August, she’d been disheartened to see the school’s reading performance numbers had dropped by double digits over the past few years.
I’ve got to get these kids into reading, she’d thought.
Belinda had considered hosting a story-time event, but it would have to be after school or on a weekend, and she worried that parents wouldn’t be able to bring their kids. The school is in a low-income neighborhood, and many parents work two jobs, making it difficult to read bedtime stories if they come home late.
That had saddened Belinda. Her mom’s bedtime stories had helped spark her love of books.
Then, one night, as she explored the Facebook app on her phone, Belinda discovered a feature that allowed her to stream live videos. And she had a brilliant idea.
Belinda posted a message on the school’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/ Homerscholars), inviting moms and dads to tune in to the page the following Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm to let their kids hear her read a bedtime story.
Tuesday evening, 35 families logged on to hear Belinda read Red: A Crayon’s Story. Because it was bedtime, she wore her pajamas, and before signing off, she offered a personal goodnight to each child who attended.
The next day, Belinda’s bedtime story was the talk of the school. All week, the librarian was peppered with requests for “the crayon story.” And the following Tuesday, when Belinda signed on, this time in a Cookie Monster onesie— she thought cute jammies would add to the fun— attendance had doubled.
“Welcome to Tucked-in Tuesday,” Belinda greeted her growing audience each week, and as she brought characters to life with funny voices and cute props—like the wings she donned when she read Ladybug Girl— the kids messaged smiley faces and other happy exclamations.
Many of the parents even stuck around and, to Belinda’s joy, began filling in for her the other nights of the week.
It’s become our special time, one mom emailed Belinda.
The numbers aren’t in yet, but after this year’s standardized tests, Belinda’s “scholars,” as she calls her students, shared confident high-fives. These days, up to 2,000 kids and parents around the world tune in live or watch a Tucked-in Tuesday replay. The program is so popular that Belinda is even continuing it throughout the summer.
“I don’t know if it’s the stories or the caring that matters most,” says Belinda. “But I do know that if a child feels loved, they will want to do their best. And that makes for lots of happy endings.”