"Hey, I want glasses too!"
How’s that for an unusual complaint from an elementary school child? Those plaintive wails were heard all over the halls of my school this past week.
Why? Because only students who had prescription glasses could come to 20/20 Day.
Our school is Title I, and when it comes to glasses, it is not like it is in middle glass schools. Parents do not have vision insurance and a charity fund supplies most of the eyewear. The students do not have their own room, many don’t have their own bed and the glasses are constantly getting broken or lost. It is a constant struggle to get the children to wear them. In these days of high stake testing you cannot afford to leave a child behind because they cannot see the board.
The school nurse and I dreamed up 20/20 Day. It was a day we all celebrated the fact that thanks to glasses we could see! We invited all the students who were wearing their glasses to bring their lunch to the library. We also supplied some special desserts and new glasses cases to decorate. 105 kids streamed into the library to eat and the place rang with excited chatter and laughter. Glasses that had been broken all year were magically fixed, lost glasses suddenly reappeared and children who hadn’t worn glasses all year turned up with them firmly on their nose.We papered the halls with signs and I spent a week reading stories about glasses – thank goodness for Junie B. Jones and Arthur! Of course, being a teacher- librarian I couldn’t resist incorporating the books into a reading lesson on making connections! The nurse found herself doing some extra vision tests and some teachers who normally wore contact lenses got into the spirit of the day and wore their own glasses in honor of the occasion.
School Nurse and Librarian Collaboration – Who’d Thunk It?
8 comments:
That is such a GREAT idea. I want to try and do something like that next year.
Wow, that is a really cool idea!
That's a wonderful idea. The children sure looked like they enjoyed it.
Guusje...what a great idea. As one who has worn glasses all my life and been called "four eyes" as well as other epithets during those dark days of yesteryear, I applaud your 20/20 day!!! Fantastic idea, and one to be repeated!
I agree it is a fab idea. It should be a national event!
Gussje-
Congratualations on the success of your wonderful idea - 20/20 day! Many kudos to you and your school nurse for this - you've made the best out of a situation that most teachers would just shrug off.
WOW! What an awesome idea! I've worn glasses since I was four. I went through all the name-calling and teasing. I would have LOVED a 20/20 day. Perhaps we can implement one next year. Thanks for sharing!
This is fabulous!
Okay, school librarians, pass this one around--this should be done EVERYWHERE!
And, BTW, that is said both as an eyeglass wearer AND as the daughter of a (retired) optometrist!
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