INSPIRING INDIVIDUAL
Once Upon A Time By Beverly Perkins
O
nce Upon A Time not too long ago a second-grade teacher in the City of Plantation was determined to shed some light during the darkness of the global pandemic. Andi Gresham, 2nd grade Gifted Teacher and Team Leader at Mirror Lake Elementary (MLE) began a weekly Facebook Live “Storybook Time”. “Back in March, when everything shut down. I wanted a way to stay connected with my students and give parents a few minutes to relax,” explained Gresham. “I was also worried about both my current and former students, I wanted them to see me and feel comfort. I would wear wings and silly headbands to help get their attention while reading the story.
Although, I was doing something fun, I was sure to sneak in a vocabulary ‘Word of the Day’ and comprehension questions about the book.” The dedicated educator began this fun project during what was scheduled to be Spring Break and continued through the last day of school. It became so popular that many families started watching and interacting together each week. The response was overwhelming with anywhere from 100-260 views of each story. “I like when Mrs. Gresham does themes and does crazy things to her hair. Other kids should come to story time because she is funny,” exclaimed Jordan, a current student. When school finally resumed,
Gresham received an abundance of requests from former MLE students, staff, and parents, as well as her own family urging her to keep “Storybook Time” going. So, she created a Facebook page called “Teach Gresham” so anyone and everyone can join in on the fun. She reads every Thursday night at 6:30 pm. Stories are consistently posted on the page in case anyone missed the live event or want to watch again. “I have kids and adults all over the United States and my family in Canada that tuning in. My hubby laughed when I put new wigs on my Christmas wish list. It has been so rewarding doing story time especially during the pandemic. My favorite part is also sharing that time with
my one-year-old baby boy. He closes out each story time with me as we do a special virtual hug and send kisses to everyone,” added Gresham.
*Expires 01/31/21 SFLD
32 / January 2021 / OurCityMedia.com
