Bethel Grove Elementary School recently hosted a Family Literacy Night with a unique twist, inviting students and parents on a "Literacy Around the World" adventure. Rhonda Wilson, the school’s PLC coach, brought the theme to life, using her love of travel as an inspiration.

Approximately 40 families were given passports to "travel" through the school's hallways, visiting classrooms transformed into different countries. Each stop offered engaging literacy strategies and accompanying games, making learning both fun and interactive.

Parents could also see the joy on their students faces as they brought a classroom experience from day to night: carpet reading time.

“We usually speak to the group and students would sit with their parents,” said Wilson, “but this year, we had our school librarian as a guest reader! That was my favorite part. I always loved carpet time as a student.”

Wilson says the close-knit classes enjoy visiting the library, so that unique experience showed families another side of learning and literacy.

“The event was a hit,” said Wilson, who taught ELA and other subjects for over a decade before moving into her current role. 

”I don’t travel as much as I would like to, but I do travel,” Wilson said, “And I told parents that you can travel anywhere in your imagination with a book!”

Families left with new literacy tools and a greater appreciation for the diverse ways learning can be approached.