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Local teachers using Facebook Live to transform bedtime stories

Each week a new teacher will read a bedtime story to hundreds, sometimes over a thousand families.

POWELL, Tenn. — Once a week bedtime for little ones at Claxton Elementary School gets a little extra special.

"They love coming in the next day and saying oh my gosh Miss Wade, you were so good, I love that book can you read it to us again," second grade teacher, Jonarae Wade said. 

At 7 p.m. each every Tuesday a teacher or two will crack open a new adventure and read to hundreds of families on Facebook Live.

"I feel like the teachers are super excited, like almost excited as the kids," Wade said.

"We're not just reaching our Claxton students, we're reaching students across our region," she said.

Wade said the experience stretches well beyond that of the students.

"That's what I love the most is just sharing my love for books with them," Wade said. 

Her debut on the school's Facebook Live was one for the books. It was a story about Darth Vader and got more than 1,200 views.

"They were guessing like who's Darth Vader, people still don't know," Wade said. 

But the secret is now out. Intervention specialist Courtney Simpson was the voice behind the mask and she's passionate about her work.

"We just really want to foster that love of reading and it is super important to us," Simpson said. 

Wade and Simpson believe this one book represents a broader message.

"We wanted our students to close the page of the last chapter of whatever school year were in and open a new one this coming year," Wade said. 

Claxton Elementary Principal Jennifer Coleman said that about sums up their mission and it is a new innovative legacy she's proud to have

"We want our kids to know that the love of literacy lasts forever," Coleman said. "We're so much more than just a test score or doing work sheets and academic stuff, we want kids to have a real love for learning."

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