Children and their parents who attended Monday's Reading Hour at the Sulphur
Springs Public Library were treated to a wonderful program and reading by
Sulphur Springs ISD Gifted and Talented Teacher, Johnny Wells.

 

Gifted & Talented Teacher Promotes
Reading at Library, Monday

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Wells demonstrated Calligraphy  skills that could be learned, simply by reading
about them.

 

"Readers are thinkers!" proclaimed SSISD Gifted and Talented Program Teacher, Johnny Wells, as he held the students and parents attending Monday's Public Library Reading Hour, "spellbound."

Wells began his program crocheting a string and soon moved onto ways to use the same skills learned in crocheting to thread an extension cord so that it wouldn't be tangled, when it was needed. "Some skills that you learn, if you will think, can be applied to many, many useful applications!" stressed Wells.

Wells moved onto an introduction of a demitasse cup, introducing students to some unfamiliar items, such as a salter and spoon, as he increased their knowledge, while having fun. He suddenly began making "balloon animals" and adapted the skill to fun ways in learning.

 

Wells fashioned a "balloon animal" to stress his message about learning could be
fun, if you knew how to simply read.

"If you can read, you can think!" expressed Wells. "You don't have to be the smartest person, and you don't have to read extremely fast, but if you read, it will make you think and learn!"

Wells then outlined a list of his favorite books and then began his reading by introducing them to the book "The Lemming Condition." Wells read a chapter from the book and explained the habits of the lemming, an animal that when its food supply decreases, commits suicide, by jumping off cliffs, rather than starving to death. Wells, emphasized that lemmings conduct the ritual, simply because they have always done it and follow the leader into the "death trap" of the water. "I want to encourage each of you to not adapt the habits of the lemming!" stressed Wells. "Now, is the time to begin reading and not following what other people say, but learn to think on your own!"

 

 

Wells read from one of his favorite books, "The Lemming Condition," as he encouraged students
to not "follow the leader," but to think individually.

 

Gifted and Talented Teacher, Wells, has been nominated for the Gifted and Talented Teacher of the Year Award, and demonstrated his teaching skills before the "ignited" audience, on Monday. And, several of his former students made the effort to come to Monday's presentation, in support of the great work that he does in teaching our youth!

Congratulations to Johnny Wells on this nomination, of someone who makes such a great contribution to our community!

 

Wells demonstrated using a crocheting "chain stitch" to keep an extension
cord from tangling. And, after the program we asked him what kind of stitch
we could apply to Christmas lights?

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