Former South Putnam educator donates books to Central, Fillmore

Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Pamela Farris passes out the new books to eager Central Elementary students, who helped carry them to the school library.
Banner Graphic/Brand Selvia

Thanks to the generosity of a former South Putnam teacher, student literacy at Central and Fillmore Elementary Schools will be getting a needed boost.

Central students got very excited Friday afternoon when they found that $15,000 worth of new books would be donated to use in and exchange between their classrooms.

The donation was made possible by Dr. Pamela Farris, who began her teaching career at South Putnam as a Title I elementary reading director in the mid-1970s.

An educator with a distinguished and active career advocating childhood literacy, Farris holds both a master's degree and her Ph.D. in reading from Indiana State University. She has published more than 200 articles on the importance of literacy in schools, and is completing her 25th book on language arts and classroom instruction. She has also taught and conducted research at Illinois State University, and has presented at conferences throughout the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.

Farris also serves as the Midwest chairman for the International Literacy Association's Children's Choices and Teacher's Choices programs, which encourages students K-6 to read new books and rate them on a thumbs-up, thumbs-down approach.

As a part of this mission, Farris returned to her roots at South Putnam and expressed that the donation was her way of paying it forward.

"Why not?" she asked.

Farris said that the new books, which are meant to be shared between classrooms, would be a way to help teachers at Central and Fillmore promote reading and not stretch their own funds.

"Teachers are underfunded as it is," she said. "These books are worth more than a two years' salary for them, so for them to have these books means that they can better teach reading comprehension."

Farris also said that easy access to these books, which will be put into bins and rotated among students, is crucial to successful learning in the classroom.

"The easier the access, the more kids read," she said. "The more kids read, the better they develop those essential skills that influence other aspects of development."

When presenting two children's books that she herself has written, Farris stressed the importance of reading comprehension for life after elementary. That very same day, one of her sons had to take a reading comprehension test as part of his job certification.

She also made another big impression among the students when she said that ISU alumnus and Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird was one of her students.

Farris also believes that the quality of the books is an important factor, not just because they will last longer, but also because students and teachers will be better engaged. In other words, she expressed, the condition of the books will influence the condition of the students.

Fillmore and Central are the only two elementary schools in Indiana that Farris has singularly donated new books to. However, she has promoted the Children's Choices program in schools throughout the Midwest in Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri and Indiana. Clay City Elementary has participated in the program for the last three years.

As South Putnam was where she got her start in teaching, it seemed only fitting that she would come back to support this important aspect of student growth.

"She is a blessing," gleamed Central Elementary principal Todd Gowen. "We are extremely fortunate to have these books, and for Dr. Farris' generosity and concern for reading at South Putnam."

Gowen related that the donation came about because of conversations between him, Farris and Fillmore Elementary principal Debbie Steffy. When Farris offered the donation, both principals gladly accepted.

Farris intended to hand out books at Fillmore, but could not due to time constraints. Those books were left instead at Central to be picked up later.

Gowen related that the donation was an occasion to promote a continuing initiative on improving literacy and reading comprehension at Central.

"We want to have kids be passionate about reading," he said. "We want them to be more engaged through reading these books and expressing how they think of them."

Gowen also agreed that the quality of the books would have a great impact, as he believed that the higher quality would promote higher scores on tests like the ISTEP+.

With Farris' donation, and judging by the enthusiasm students demonstrated as they carried the new books to the library, efforts to improve reading skills and literacy have gotten the support when it has been needed most.

"The focus is, and has to be, on reading," Gowen concluded.

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