Farmington Hills Peace Corps Volunteer Engages Kids in Reading

Peace Corps volunteer Nick Bringardner of Farmington Hills recently joined forces with fellow volunteer Rebecca Beitsch of Tallahassee, FL to organize a Readers Theater competition in Panama that actively engages their students in reading, writing and speaking English. 

“Teachers often struggle to find interactive activities that go beyond copying and memorizing,” Bringardner said. “Our hope is that seeing the success of the event will provide an example of better methods for the classroom.”

During Readers Theater, students read a script aloud and use their voices, facial expressions and gestures to bring the scene to life – without stage settings, costumes or props. Nearly 200 students from fourth grade to high school performed in small groups to practice using their voice and intonation to tell the stories of childhood favorites from the U.S., including Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein, author of The Giving Tree. 

The competition, which included students from 15 different schools, gave the participants the opportunity to develop fluency and enhance their reading comprehension.

Before the competition, Beitsch and Bringardner held seminars to show local teachers how to use Readers Theater. Peace Corps volunteers from across the region also helped prepare teams from participating schools for the competition. 

“We thought this would be a great way to promote reading and help students gain confidence,” Beitsch said. “I saw a lot of dedication from students, and with time, the kids were not only reading but expressing the emotions of the characters. It was really nice to see them come out of their shells and have fun at school.” 

Bringardner and Beitsch have both been teaching English in Panama since January of 2012. Bringardner is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and Beitsch is a graduate of the University of Missouri.