Every teacher has a “first big aha” story—the moment where curiosity, creativity, and a little bit of risk-taking changed the way they taught. For me, that story starts in a middle school hallway, with a dusty closet, a handful of 8th-grade students, and a question that kept me up at night:
How do I get my students to actually want to read?
The Spark: Student Choice in Reading
I was teaching English Language Arts to 8th graders, and like most new teachers, I was balancing enthusiasm with survival mode. I wanted my students to have more choice in their reading, but my biggest concern was accountability. I mean, you can’t actually build reading skills if students can “cheat their way” through the assignment. How could I keep up with dozens of different novels without reading every single one myself?
One afternoon, I shared this challenge with my principal, Halvine Carodine. He paused, thought for a moment, and said something that would change my reading classroom:
“There was a program the library had. Ask Mrs. wallace, but I think there were lots of novels quizes. If it’s still around, it might be in a closet on your hall.”
The Treasure Hunt
So off I went, curious but skeptical. What I found wasn’t just a box of old materials—it was a hidden treasure that would reshape my classroom.
Inside that closet was a computer (a big deal at the time!) and resources for a program called Accelerated Reader (AR). With AR, my students could choose their own books, take short quizzes to check comprehension, and earn points for their efforts. It was exactly the balance of student choice, differentiation, and accountability I had been searching for!
Schoolwide Movement
Excitement is contagious and plans for the AR program quickly grew. My students were excited. They loved seeing their progress, setting goals, and earning rewards. Our librarian, Mrs. Wallace, and reading teachers: Mary Neil Russell, LeeAnn Winkle, and myself joined together to created a schoolwide AR program that transformed our reading culture.
Some of our favorite traditions included:
- The AR Store: Students could spend their points on prizes, treats, and fun classroom supplies.
- Chain Wars: Each grade level bought strips of construction paper to build chains representing their fundraising efforts. The competition grew fierce as we stretched those chains across our classrooms, and the final showdown was unforgettable. On the last day of the competition, we carried our chains to the football field to measure them…a whole school united around the joy of reading.
Looking Back: Lessons from the Closet
That dusty closet wasn’t just storing old equipment. It was storing possibility. It reminded me that sometimes the most powerful teaching tools are already within reach—we just need the curiosity to look, the courage to try, and the community to make it thrive.
For me, this experience became a foundation for how I approach educational technology today. It’s not about the newest, shiniest tool—it’s about finding systems, tools, and strategies that spark innovation, empower teachers, and create lasting impact.
And sometimes, those hidden treasures are closer than you think.
✨ Your Turn: What hidden treasures have you uncovered in your teaching journey? A resource, a strategy, or maybe even a closet find? Share your story—I’d love to hear it!
