As a Denver Metro Realtor, I am lucky to have a flexible schedule that allows me to visit classrooms around the area and be a secret reader. As a secret reader, I schedule time to visit a classroom, buy books for the teachers and children, and then then we all read the book together. I am thrilled to interact with the classroom and the children respond with excitement over reading with me. It’s a win-win!
Tuesday I read to Katie McClelland’s Second Grade class at Greenwood Elementary School. I met Katie a year ago and she was newly married. I joked with her that in a year she would buy a house and start a family. Tuesday was her second day back from maternity leave, and now she is the proud momma of a little girl. And yes, she and her husband did buy a house.
After we read our book, I sang my “See ya later song.” And then a little girl stood up to sing me a song …I was serenaded with “You Are My Sunshine.” I was so overwhelmed. A smile from a child means so much to me.
Later that day, I shared my thanks with Katie and asked if I could share my experience with her classroom with my followers on social media. Katie responded with the following:
“Thank you SO much for coming to our classroom and reading with our second graders yesterday. I had one kiddo ask me at the end of the day, “Do I really get to keep the book?! Awesome!” It truly is “awesome” what you do. We appreciate your time and enthusiasm to get our students fired up about reading. Thanks for sharing your passion of reading with us. And, thanks for the sweet write up! I love it. My students already know that I sing “You are my sunshine” to my little Clara. They sing it so I don’t get sad because I miss my baby girl. How sweet! I hope you don’t mind me taking a picture of you – you’ve made our end-of-year slideshow with your visit.”
I am truly fortunate for the relationships that my secret reader program builds. Tuesday was a moment I happily share with everyone!