Success Story:
Putting Hispanic Children at Ease
Shelia O'Rourke, School Counselor
Coupeville Elementary School
Coupeville, WA
Ever since Sheila O'Rourke, counselor at Coupeville Elementary in Coupeville, WA, first learned about the WOVEN WORD program, she has been excited about the fact that "the books target social skills through literacy."
But what O'Rourke didn't expect was how much the WOVEN WORD program has helped put her Hispanic students at ease. During the Gloria's First Day lessons, she says, "the students zoomed in on what was happening with the Hispanic students in the kindergarten classrooms."
The students felt comfortable talking about where their parents came from and what languages they spoke at home. "And as the discussions evolved around the Spanish-speaking kids, I could see that they were feeling more comfortable, more connected. It was awesome. It was fun to watch these students come out of their shells and be a part of the class."